Severn Estuary

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Severn Estuary

  • Country: 
    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  • Site number: 
    67
  • Area: 
    24,701 ha
  • Designation date: 
    05-01-1976
  • Coordinates: 
    51°29'N 02°48'W
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

Severn Estuary. 05/01/76; England, Wales; 24,701 ha; 51°36'N 002°40'W. Special Protection Area, Nature Reserve, SSSI. The estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world and consists of an extensive intertidal zone comprising intertidal mudflats, sand banks, saltmarsh, shingle, and rocky platforms. Flora and fauna communities typical of extreme physical conditions occur at the site. The invertebrate community provides an important food source for passage and wintering waders. The site is of particular importance for staging nationally important numbers of several species of waterbirds, including Tadorna tadorna and Numenius phaeopus, and supports internationally important numbers of various species of wintering waterbirds, including Limosa limosa islandica. This site is important for several species of fish migrating between sea and river via the estuary. Small patches of a nationally rare plant Lythrum hyssopifolia are found in the grassland zone. Human activities include recreation, fishing, and hunting, and a visitors' centre, trails and hides are maintained. Extended on 13/07/95 from the former Ramsar Sites Bridgwater Bay and Upper Severn Estuary. Ramsar site no. 67. Most recent RIS information: 1999.

Administrative region: 
England, Wales

  • National legal designation: 
    • Nature Reserve
    • nnr
    • sssi
  • Regional (international) legal designations: 
    • EU Natura 2000
  • Last publication date: 
    01-01-1999

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)