NATURA 2000 - STANDARD DATA FORM
For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
| SITE | MT0000009 |
|---|
| SITENAME | L-Inħawi tar-Ramla tat-Torri u tal-Irdum tal-Madonna |
|---|
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
Back to top1.1 Type
1.2 Site code
1.3 Site name
| L-Inħawi tar-Ramla tat-Torri u tal-Irdum tal-Madonna |
1.4 First Compilation date
1.5 Update date
1.6 Respondent:
| Name/Organisation: | Environment and Resources Authority |
| Address: |
|
| Email: | natura.2000@era.org.mt |
1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates
| Date site classified as SPA: | 2004-04 |
| National legal reference of SPA designation | Government Notice No. 112 of 2007, in accordance with the Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations, 2016 (S.L. 549.44) |
| Date site proposed as SCI: | 2004-04 |
| Date site confirmed as SCI: | 2008-03 |
| Date site designated as SAC: | 2016-12 |
| National legal reference of SAC designation: | Government Notice No. 1379 of 2016, in accordance with the Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations, 2016 (S.L. 549.44) |
2. SITE LOCATION
Back to top2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:
| Longitude: | 14.369300 |
| Latitude: | 35.992000 |
2.2 Area [ha]
2.3 Marine area [%]
2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):
No information provided
2.5 Administrative region code and name
|
NUTS level 2 code
|
Region Name
|
|---|
| MT00 | Malta |
2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)
3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Back to top3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them
|
Annex I Habitat types
|
Site assessment
|
|---|
|
Code
|
PF
|
NP
|
Cover [ha]
|
Cave [number]
|
Data quality
|
A|B|C|D
|
A|B|C
|
|---|
| | | | | | | Representativity | Relative Surface | Conservation | Global |
|---|
1210
|
|
| 0.06
| 0.00
| G
| A
| A
| C
| C
|
| 1240
|
|
| 21.12
| 0.00
| G
| B
| B
| B
| B
|
| 2110
|
|
| 0.49
| 0.00
| G
| C
| A
| C
| C
|
| 2210
|
|
| 0.17
| 0.00
| G
| C
| A
| C
| C
|
| 2220
|
|
| 0.07
| 0.00
| G
| C
| B
| B
| C
|
| 5330
|
|
| 4.07
| 0.00
| G
| C
| C
| C
| C
|
| 5410
|
|
| 8.9
| 0.00
| G
| C
| B
| B
| C
|
| 8210
|
|
| 5.57
| 0.00
| G
| B
| B
| C
| B
|
- PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
- NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
- Cover: decimal values can be entered
- Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
- Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)
3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them
- Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
- S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
- NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
- Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
- Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
- Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
- Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)
3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)
No information provided
4. SITE DESCRIPTION
Back to top4.1 General site character
|
Habitat class
|
% Cover
|
|---|
| N26 | 11.52 |
| N05 | 35.63 |
| N04 | 1.62 |
| N08 | 23.76 |
| N23 | 23.71 |
| N27 | 1.50 |
| N24 | 2.26 |
Total Habitat Cover | 100 |
|---|
Other Site Characteristics
| The site represents a variety of coastal habitats. The southern part consists of an Upper Coralline Limestone cliff / boulder scree community that gradually changes to rocky coast with maritime garrigue / phrygana along the northern part. A relatively small sand dune community is also found along the northern coast. The cliff faces support a typical rupestral community characterised by such plants as Salsola melitensis (=Darniella melitensis) and Capparis spinosa, while the exposed rocky shore is colonised by an aerohaline community dominated by Limbarda crithmoides (= Inula crithmoides). Further inland, maritime garrigue is found and this habitat supports a number of threatened species, mostly plants. Some areas of this garrigue have been partially degraded to rocky steppe, while other areas have been afforested, mainly with Acacia saligna and Olea europaea. |
4.2 Quality and importance
| This site housed the most species diverse sand dune habitat of the Maltese Islands prior to the mid-1970s, when a number of dune communities, including the Ammophila dunes, were replaced by other structures and communities as a result of works in the area. Acacia saligna was planted, parts of the dunes were levelled and an access road was constructed, currently resulting in the separation of the sand dunes from nearby boathouses. Despite such activities, the dune vegetation is now typified by a mobile Elytrigetum community based on Elytrigia juncea and Eryngium maritimum; and a Crucianelletea fixed dune community based on Lotus cytisoides, Scabiosa maritima and Pancratium maritimum. This fixed dune community (Centaureo-Ononidetum ramosissimae subass. lotetosum) is only known from this locality in the Maltese Islands. A small population of the very rare Euphorbia terracina, typical of semi-consolidated to fixed sands, was also recently reported in the fixed dune area. The yellow dune community at the site is currently in a relatively good condition. Parasitic on Lotus cytisoides, which grows on the sand dunes and garrigue, is Orobanche densiflora f. melitensis, for which this site represents one of the few known localities. The sand dune area is very important for several species of invertebrates, particularly insects, that are restricted to sand dune habitats. Of importance is the fact that the systematic eradication of the invasive Carpobrotus edulis and the related Aptenia spp. from the sand dune area seems to have been successful. Garrigue dominates a large portion of this Natura 2000 site. Coastal cliffs and boulder screes (Maltese: rdum) also occupy a substantial proportion of the site - these constitute an important seabird breeding site, especially for the largest colony of Puffinus yelkouan (Annex I, Birds Directive) known from the Maltese Islands. In view of this, the Rdum tal-Madonna Area has been declared as an 'Important Bird Area' by BirdLife International and as an 'Important Bird Area of EU importance in Malta' by BirdLife Malta. The boulder scree habitat provides an important habitat for the reptiles Tarentola mauritanica, Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus, Chalcides ocellatus tiligugu, Coluber viridiflavus carbonarius and Elaphe situla (Annex II, Habitats Directive). Several plant species that grow here are endemic to Malta including Salsola melitensis (= Darniella melitensis), Anacamptis urvilleana, Euphorbia melitensis, Allium lojaconoi, Limonium melitense and Limonium zeraphae. Other plant species that grow here have a restricted distribution in the Maltese Islands. These include Drimia maritima (= Urginea pancration), Filago cossyrensis, Euphorbia exigua var. pycnophylla, Daucus rupestris and Daucus lopadusanus. In addition, a number of orchid species are known from the site, including Anacamptis urvilleana (Annex II Habitats Directive), Ophrys bombyliflora and Orchis collina. |
4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site
The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site
| Negative Impacts |
|---|
| Rank | Threats and pressures [code] | Pollution (optional) [code] | inside/outside [i|o|b] |
|---|
| L | | | b |
| L | | | i |
| H | | | i |
| L | | | i |
| L | | | b |
| L | | | i |
| L | | | o |
| M | | | o |
| M | | | i |
| H | | | i |
| M | | | o |
| L | | | i |
| M | | | i |
| H | | | b |
| M | | | i |
| M | | | b |
| M | | | i |
| H | | | i |
| L | | | i |
| M | | | i |
| M | | | i |
| M | | | i |
| H | | | i |
| L | | | i |
| Positive Impacts |
|---|
| Rank | Activities, management [code] | Pollution (optional) [code] | inside/outside [i|o|b] |
|---|
Rank: H = high, M = medium, L = low
Pollution: N = Nitrogen input, P = Phosphor/Phosphate input, A = Acid input/acidification,
T = toxic inorganic chemicals, O = toxic organic chemicals, X = Mixed pollutions
i = inside, o = outside, b = both
4.4 Ownership (optional)
No information provided
4.5 Documentation (optional)
No information provided
5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
Back to top
No information provided
6. SITE MANAGEMENT
Back to top6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:
| Organisation: | Environment and Resources Authority |
| Address: | |
| Email: | natura.2000@era.org.mt |
6.2 Management Plan(s):
An actual management plan does exist:
6.3 Conservation measures (optional)
No information provided
7. MAP OF THE SITE
Back to top| INSPIRE ID: | MT.ERA.MT0000009 |
| Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional) |
|
SITE DISPLAY