List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the Brecon Beacons National Park

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There are 85 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) within the Brecon Beacons National Park just under 10% of the over 1000 such designated areas in Wales as a whole. As elsewhere, the majority of sites of special scientific interest (also commonly referred to as 'SSSIs') in this National Park are designated for their flora and/or fauna (‘biological SSSIs’) whilst a lesser number are designated for their geology (‘geological SSSIs’). Others again are designated in respect of both interests and may be described as ‘mixed’. Natural Resources Wales is the body responsible for their designation and issuing consents for (or indeed refusing permission for) activities to take place within them. Most SSSIs are single contiguous areas though a handful comprise two or more separate parcels of land (see 'sections' column in table below).

The National Park stretches across parts of seven separate principal areas (counties or county boroughs of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Powys and Rhondda Cynon Taf) and there are SSSIs within the National Park sectors of each of them except for Caerphilly. A few SSSIs straddle the boundaries between two or three of these principal areas. Some also straddle the boundary of the National Park and may extend into other council areas such as Neath Port Talbot. [1]

SSSI namePrincipal areainterestsections
Abercriban QuarriesMerthyr Tydfil County Boroughgeological1
Afon Wysg (isafonydd) / River Usk (tributaries)Powysbiologicalseveral
Alexanderstone MeadowsPowysbiological1
Baltic & Tyle'r-bont QuarriesMerthyr Tydfil County Boroughgeological1
Black MountainsPowysbiological1
Blaen NeddPowysmixed1
BlorengeMonmouthshirebiological1
Boxbush MeadowsPowysbiological1
Brecon BeaconsPowysmixed2
Bryn-bwchPowysbiological1
Buckland Coach House & Ice House Powysbiological1
Cae Bryn-tywarchPowysbiological1
Cae CilmaenllwydCarmarthenshirebiological1
Cae GwernllertaiPowysbiological1
Cae Maes-y-ffynnonCarmarthenshirebiological1
Caeau CwmcoynantPowysbiological1
Caeau ffermPowysbiological1
Caeau Nant y LlechauPowysbiological1
Caeau Pant-y-brynCarmarthenshirebiological1
Caeau Tir-mawrCarmarthenshirebiological1
Caeau Ton-y-fildrePowys / Neath Port Talbotbiological1
Caeau Ty-mawrPowysbiological1
Carreg CennenCarmarthenshirebiological1
Cathedine Common WoodPowysbiological1
Coed Blaen-y-cwmPowysbiological1
Coed LlandyfanCarmarthenshirebiological1
Coed Mawr Blaen-carPowysbiological2
Coed Nant MenasginPowysbiological1
Coed y CerrigMonmouthshirebiological1
Coedydd Tregyb/Tregib WoodlandsCarmarthenshirebiological1
Coed-y-personMonmouthshirebiological1
Craig y RhiwarthPowysmixed1
Cwar Glas Quarry & Sawdde GorgeCarmarthenshiregeological1
Cwar yr Ystrad a Cwar Blaen DyffrynPowysgeological2
Cwm CadlanRhondda Cynon Tafbiological1
Cwm ClydachMonmouthshiremixed1
Cwm Llanwenarth MeadowsMonmouthshirebiological1
Cwm Taf Fechan WoodlandsMerthyr Tydfil County Boroughbiological2
Daren FachMerthyr Tydfil County Boroughbiological1
Dyffrynoedd Nedd a Mellte a Moel PenderynNeath Port Talbot / Powys / Rhondda Cynon Tafmixed3
FoxwoodMonmouthshirebiological1
Gilwern HillMonmouthshiremixed1
Gweunydd Dyffryn NeddPowysbiological1
GyfarthaPowysbiological1
Henallt CommonPowysbiological1
Heol Senni QuarryPowysgeological1
Illtyd PoolsPowysmixed2
Llanfihangel MoraineMonmouthshiregeological1
Llanover QuarryMonmouthshiregeological1
Llyn Syfaddan (Llangorse Lake)Powysbiological1
Mandinam a Coed DeriCarmarthenshirebiological3
Mynydd Du (Black Mountain)Carmarthenshire / Powysmixed1
Mynydd LlangatwgBlaenau Gwent / Monmouthshire / Powysmixed1
Mynydd LlangynidrBlaenau Gwent / Powysgeological1
Nant Glais CavesMerthyr Tydfil County Boroughgeological1
Nant LlechPowysmixed1
Ogof Ffynnon DduPowysmixed1
Ogof Ffynnon Ddu - Pant MawrPowysmixed1
PenmoelalltRhondda Cynon Tafbiological1
Pen-y-craig gochCarmarthenshirebiological1
Pen-yr-Hen-alltPowysbiological1
Plas-y-gorsPowysbiological1
Pwll-yr-wrachPowysbiological2
Rhos CruglasCarmarthenshiregeological1
Rhos hen-glyn-isafPowysbiological1
River Usk (Lower Usk)/Afon Wysg (Wysg isaf)Monmouthshirebiological1
River Usk (Upper Usk)/ Afon Wysg (Wysg uchaf)Carmarthenshire / Powysbiological1
River Wye (Upper Wye)Powysbiological1
Siambre dduMonmouthshiremixed1
Strawberry Cottage WoodMonmouthshirebiological1
Sugar Loaf WoodlandsMonmouthshirebiological3
Tir Mawr a Dderi Hir, LlwydcoedRhondda Cynon Tafbiological1
Waun Ton-y-spyddadenPowysbiological1
Waun-dduCarmarthenshirebiological1
Woodland Park & PontprenRhondda Cynon Tafbiological3
Y GorsPowysbiological1
Ydw Valley & Fron Road Geological exposuresCarmarthenshiregeological5

Other websites

http://lle.gov.wales/catalogue/item/ProtectedSitesSitesOfSpecialScientificInterest/?lang=en

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