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Area L: Landfall area (upper beach and landslip area (centred upon TM 350391)
The landfall area presents three invertebrate habitat zones – the shingle beach above the mean high water mark, a narrow strip of landslip and the linear track from the lane to the beach (Figure 24.9.1 (sheet 1)). The first two present the most important invertebrate habitats found along the surveyed corridor.
The shingle beach above mean high water is essentially bare shingle, but there are patches of Sea kale and Yellow-horned Poppy (both of which support a specialist invertebrate interest). These increase in density southwards; at the start of the footpath at TM 351391, there are very few plants at the landfall – but approximately 200 metres to the south of the landfall, the beach is dominated by them. Figure 24.9.1 (sheet 1) indicate the most important areas that ought to be retained and show that the current of landfall is outside of key areas.
Above the beach the land has slumped creating a clay-dominated slope of uneven surface. In the north, near the start of the public footpath the flora here is poor and indicated nitrogen-enrichment; we found very little evidence of invertebrate interest here.
However, just a few metres south the landslip is more open and although it supports scrub in places there are areas of bare ground and very low-growing vegetation, often dominated by Stork’s-bill and Sheep’s Sorrell. We regard these areas of very high invertebrate interest and this is supported by the species inventory obtained. The important section is indicated in Figure 24.9.1 (sheet 1).
The fields above the landslip are of minimal invertebrate interest – that shown as actually being crossed by the preferred route supported a potato crop in 2012 and is of no special value to invertebrates. However, the public footpath that marks the northern boundary to this field has some good condition transitional habitat and appears to have a raised invertebrate interest.
The current location of the landfall is the least damaging for invertebrates and any movement south would increase losses to invertebrate interest. In addition, the well-vegetated footpath should be retained where possible.
East Anglia Cable - Suffolk Invertebrate Survey July 2012
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Colin Plant Associates (UK) LLP Consultant Entomologists Report number BS/2709/12