| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
  Location within Carmarthenshire | |
| Location | Carmarthenshire |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SS512980 |
| Coordinates | 51°39′40″N4°09′06″W / 51.660996°N 4.151552°W |
| Area | 6.4 hectares (16 acres) |
| Notification | 1987 |
Machynys Ponds (Welsh : Pyllau Machynys) is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Carmarthenshire, Wales, designated in 1993 for its botanical features. [1] [2]
Machynys Ponds SSSI is located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south-east of Llanelli and immediately to the east of the village of Machynys. The site is approximately 0.25 miles (0.40 km) inland from the north bank of the River Loughor estuary, covers 6.4 hectares (16 acres) and is 15 metres (49 ft) above sea-level. [1] [2]
The SSSI comprises four ponds, one large and to the east, three smaller, connected by fen-carr hosting willow and scrub. The site is designated for its standing-water and swamp habitats, which are of interest of themselves, but also support a diverse and rich species mix. Of special note, and an additional reason for designation, is the presence of 14 species of dragonfly and damselfly found at the ponds.
The ponds are situated on a glacial terminal moraine – debris at the front of a glacier – which forms the Machynys Peninsula. They are flooded clay pits, dug to supply local 19th century brickworks and inundated in a great storm in 1896, and are in part of interest for the habitats that have formed in the decades since their creation. [2]
The large pond is populated with spiked water-milfoil ( Myriophylium spicatum ), Canadian waterweed ( Elodea canadensis ), yellow-flowered fringed water-lily ( Nymphoides peltata ), and beds of bulrush ( Typha latifolia ), common reed ( Phragmites australis ), sea club-rush ( Scirpus maritimus ) and grey club-rush ( Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani ). The pond provides a habitat and breeding ground for a variety of waterfowl such as the mute swan, tufted duck, coot and dabchick. Other avians species nesting at the pond include gadwall, water rail, reed warbler, sedge warbler, reed bunting and other passerines. [2]
The three smaller ponds are more shallow – one sufficiently so to dry up in times of low rainfall. They host rushes ( Juncaceae ) and bulrush, water mint ( Mentha aquatica ), false fox-sedge ( Carex otrubae ), great willowherb ( Epilobium hirsutum ), common fleabane ( Pulicaria dysenterica ), gipsywort ( Lyccous europaeus ), branched bur-reed ( Sparganium erectum ), common marsh-bedstraw ( Galium palusrre ), and water-plantain ( Alisma plantago-aquatica ). Two species, parsley water-dropwort ( Oenanthe lachenalii ) and sea club-rush indicate brackish water. [2]
More shallow areas of the ponds contain mare's-tail ( Hippuris vulgaris ) and lesser water-parsnip ( Berula erecta ), grey willow ( Salix cinerea ); various-leaved water-starwort ( Callitriche platycarpa ), brackish water-crowfoot ( Ranunculus baudotii ) and stonewort ( Chara vuloaris ). [2]
Amongst the dragonfly fauna of the site are the fenland hairy dragonfly (Brachytron pratense), the black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), the ruddy darter (Symtetrum sanguineum), and the migrant hawker (Aeshna mixta). The site also hosts a diversity of beetle and fly species, and the profile of invertebrates found at the ponds is found to be related to ponds of south and south-east England. [2]
The Cotswold Water Park is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system, straddling the Wiltshire–Gloucestershire border, north-west of Cricklade and south of Cirencester. There are 180 lakes, spread over 42 square miles (110 km2).
Machynys, or Machynys Peninsula is a coastal area just to the south of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. In the nineteenth century an industrial community lived here working at the brickworks and tinplate works that occupied the site. When the industrial activity ceased in the mid-twentieth century, the buildings were demolished and the site lay derelict. It has now been redeveloped as a golf course as part of the Llanelli Waterside regeneration plan.
Sevenoaks Gravel Pits is a 73.7-hectare (182-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Sevenoaks in Kent. It is managed by Kent Wildlife Trust as the Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre.
Ingrebourne Marshes are a 74.8 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering. Ingrebourne Valley Local Nature Reserve includes a small part of the SSSI west of the River Ingrebourne. The site is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust
The Turnford and Cheshunt Pits is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Cheshunt in Hertfordshire and Essex and covers a total of 428.17 acres. It is part of the Lee Valley Special Protection Area.
Valley Wetlands, formerly Valley Lakes, is a nature reserve in Anglesey, Wales belonging to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. It is an area of lakes and reedbeds to the south-east of Valley in Llanfair-yn-Neubwll community, adjacent to RAF Valley airfield. The western section of the reserve includes Llyn Penrhyn, Llyn Treflesg and part of Llyn Dinam. The eastern part includes Llyn Traffwll and wetlands along the Afon Crigyll. Much of the reserve is included within two Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Old River Severn, Upper Lode is a 3.72-hectare (9.2-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1985. It is a cross county border site between Gloucestershire and Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Llyn Bodgylched is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Anglesey, North Wales, to the west of Beaumaris. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since January 1968 in an attempt to protect its fragile biological elements, mainly a swamp. The site has an area of 16.37 hectares and is managed by Natural Resources Wales.
Aber Taf is a large Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Carmarthenshire, Wales, and forms part of the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation.
Chyenhal Moor is a poorly drained shallow valley, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south-west of Penzance, Cornwall. Due to several rare plants in a diverse range of habitats, it was notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1951.
Gwernydd Penbre is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is also spelled by DEFRA and Natural Resources Wales as Gwernydd Pembre.
Caeau Pant-y-Bryn is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Rhosydd Llanpumsaint is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Gweunydd Glan-y-glasnant is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Carmarthenshire, Wales, designated in 1993 for its botanical features.
Arcot Hall Grasslands and Ponds is the name given to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near Cramlington in Northumberland, England, notable as the largest lowland species-rich grassland in North East England. The site is composed of grassland, heath, ponds, and associated damp habitats now rare in Northumberland.
Barelees Pond is the name given to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in north Northumberland, England. The site is a kettle hole, a deep pond formed in the void remaining after a submerged glacial calf block melted. Barelees Pond is illustrative of vegetative habitat evolution as peat sediment gradually fills the pond.
Campfield Kettle Hole is the name given to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in north Northumberland, England. The site is thought to be the remains of a kettle hole, a pond formed in the void remaining after a submerged glacial calf block melted. In contemporary times Campfield Kettle Hole is a mix of bog and pond.
River Mease SSSI is a 23.0 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is a stretch of the River Mease and its tributary Gilwiskaw Brook, running between Alrewas in Staffordshire and Packington in Leicestershire. It is also a Special Area of Conservation The river goes through private land, but it is crossed by roads and footpaths.
Fallowlees Flush is the name given to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in mid-Northumberland, England. The steeply sloping site has calcium-rich springs supporting vegetation rare in the county.
Mar Field Fen is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, north of Masham, North Yorkshire, England, in a rural area known as Marfield. It is situated on land containing woodland carr, fen, spring-fed marshy grassland and drier calcareous grassland, between the River Ure to the east and Marfield Wetland nature reserve to the west. As "one of the best examples of fen habitat in the Vale of York," it is a protected habitat for a variety of plants, including the common butterwort, a carnivorous plant. There is no public access to this site.