| Gweunydd Blaencleddau | |
| Aos: | Pembrokeshire |
| Interest: | Biological |
| Coordinates: | 51.954°N -4.686°W |
| Displaymap: | Wales |
| Area: | 149.5ha |
| Notifydate: | 2000 |
| Id: | 2581 |
| Code: | 32WB7 --> |
Gweunydd Blaencleddau is a large wetland complex in a shallow south-west valley around the headwaters of the Eastern Cleddau river. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) situated in Pembrokeshire, South Wales.
Gweunydd Blaencleddau is situated at the head of the Eastern Cleddau river, south-west of Crymych and covers an area of of shallow south-west trending valley between 190 m and 275 m above sea-level. The site was designated an SSSI in 2000 for its biological qualities. It is a mixture of wet heath and damp grassland and has significant populations of the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) and the southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale).[1] [2]
A Special Area of Conservation has also been established around this north-eastern tributary of the Eastern Cleddau river.[3] The site is designated for habitats including calcium-rich springwater-fed fens - Alkaline fens; the southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale); marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas (Eurodryas, Hypodryas) aurinia; purple moor-grass meadows - molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae); wet heathland with cross-leaved heath Rhostiroedd gwlyb - Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix; very wet mires often identified by an unstable 'quaking' surface - transition mires and quaking bogs; and blanket bogs.[4]