Cliffs at Hastings Country Park have been placed on the international map of important wildlife sites and have been declared a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
SACs are declared by the European Parliament in recognition of their international importance to wildlife. This new designation is due to the Cliffs at the Country Park being one of the most outstanding vegetated sea cliff habitats anywhere in Europe.
The unique feature about the cliffs at Hastings is they are a very soft sandstone. This differs from the familiar white chalk cliffs to the east and west of the town. You need to travel as far west as the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall before encountering the rugged sandstone cliffs that we see here in Hastings & St Leonards.
One of the most important features of the cliffs is that they are constantly eroding, providing ever changing habitats for plant and animal communities. The habitats which form at the base of the eroding cliffs are known as undercliff habitats. It is these areas which are so important to some of Britain's rarest plants and animals.
Covehurst Wood has grown out of the damp clay cliff falls from many years ago and is the largest of the undercliff habitats. It is characterised by willow, oak and gorse, whose growth has been stunted by the prevailing South Atlantic winds. A small plant by the name of Lophocolea fragrans, has adapted so well to the conditions in Covehurst Wood, it is the only place in South East England where it can be found. The unusual bird's-nest orchid is reported to survive in the wood. This peculiar orchid has no green leaves, is pale brown in colour and survives by getting its nutrients from dead and decaying material.
More recent cliff falls provide temporary areas upon which plants such as thrift, wild cabbage, birds foot trefoil, gorse and hoary stock survive. These plants are characteristic of the vegetated cliffs themselves as well as the undercliff. On the cliff face you can see the roosting and nesting sites of familiar birds such as fulmars and jackdaws. Recent years have seen a pair of resident peregrine falcons, a rare bird of prey in the Hastings area, nesting and breeding on the cliffs.
The SAC designation also covers the ancient wooded streams of Fairlight Glen, Ecclesbourne Glen and Warren Glen.
Again very rare plants and animals are found which are unique to these particular woods. In Fairlight Glen, the rare water beetle Hydraena pygmaea is at its only known location in the south east of England, the moss Tortula freibergii, is found in only two other areas in Britain and the liverwort Dumortiera hirsute, is at its only known location east of Devon.
Whilst the importance of the Country Park and its cliffs has been recognised by naturalists for many years, this new designation now gives the site international and legal recognition.
If you want to find out more about the green spaces, local nature reserves and conservation events and projects check out http://www.wildhastings.org.uk. If you spot a rare bird or species, contact Borough Ecologist Murray Davidson on 01424 781107 or email mdavidson@hastings.gov.uk. He is particularly keen to hear from anyone who knows the exact location of the Bird's-Nest orchid.
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This page last updated: 03/07/2003