Solent Habitats

The Solent Forum has prepared a Solent Habitat Information Pack which includes a series of habitat sheets for all the coastal and marine habitats found in the Solent.  They explain what the habitat is, the species supported, the social and economic value, the locations in which it is found around the Solent and the current issues, threats and opportunities.  This work has been led by the Forum's Natural Environment Group.

Coastal Habitats

• Saltmarshes
• Maritime Cliffs
• Sand Dunes
• Saline Lagoons
• Mudflats
• Vegetated Shingle
• Coastal Grazing Marsh

General site character of the Solent Maritime SAC

• Marine areas, Sea inlets (14%)
• Tidal rivers, Estuaries, Mud flats, Sand flats, Lagoons (including saltwork basins) (59%)
• Salt marshes, Salt pastures, Salt steppes (23%)
• Coastal sand dunes, Sand beaches, Machair (0.5%)
• Shingle, Sea cliffs, Islets (3%)
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (0.5%)

Source JNCC

Marine Habitats

• Seagrass
• Sheltered muddy gravels
• Subtidal reefs
• Intertidal reefs
• Sub-littoral sands and gravels