Westhay Heath

Infobox SSSI


name=Westhay Heath
aos=Somerset
interest=Biological
gridref=gbmappingsmall|ST415422
area=25.9 hectare (64.0 acre)
notifydate=1990

http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx?
]

Westhay Heath (gbmapping|ST415422) is a 25.9 hectare (64.0 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest 2km west of Westhay village in Somerset, notified in 1990.

Westhay Heath, which is managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust is an area of tall fen vegetation containing scrub, marshy grassland, ditches and small ponds in the heart of the peat moors on the Somerset Levels. This mosaic of habitats has developed on areas previously used for peat extraction. The site is of importance for the presence of a nationally rare fen community, including a diverse assemblage of breeding and wintering birds and the presence of a nationally rare breeding bird species for example Marsh harrier ("Circus areuginosus"). [cite web | title=Westhay Heath | work=English Nature | url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000032.pdf | accessdate=2006-08-22]

References

External links

*cite web | title=Westhay Heath | work=Somerset Wildlife Trust | url=http://www.somersetwildlife.org/reserve_29.php | accessdate=2006-08-22