The impact of sand extraction at Formby Point ... - Sefton Council

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of the disused Lifeboat Station. Much of the latter area has been lost to subsequent coast
erosion and dune development. It may well be, however, that the severe damage done by
sand-winning began the process of frontal dune deflation which was exacerbated by
public pressure in the 1960s. Thus, the deflation area north of Lifeboat Road shown in
the 1961 and later photographs corresponds very closely to the 1945 sand quarry. Wind
erosion seriously weakened the coast-protection function of the dunes, the area becoming
a priority for dune restoration in the early years of the Sefton Coast Management Scheme
(1978 to 1985). It was eventually stabilised after recontouring, planting with Marram
(Ammophila arenaria) and formalisation of footpath access (Smith 1999). Over 20 years
on, this area is now a gentle west-facing slope of Rabbit-grazed, rather impoverished,
mossy, semi-fixed dune with sparse Marram.
A series of small Natterjack Toad breeding pools has been maintained in the lowest-lying
part of this area, just east of the coast fringe of mobile-dunes. These attracted large
numbers of adults in the 1980s but the status of current population is not clear. There is a
considerable extent of suitable terrestrial habitat which should be capable of supporting a
large number of toads. Successful breeding was recorded in 2006 (100s of toadlets) but
there was no monitoring in 2005. Three extant scrapes (6, 7 & 8) are small and only one
(no. 6) held water at the time of the survey. This is also the only scrape with an
interesting flora, which includes the notable Grey Club-rush (Schoenoplectus
tabernaemontani), Small-fruited Yellow-sedge (Carex viridula ssp. viridula), Brookweed
(Samolus valerandi), Seaside Centaury (Centaurium littorale), Early Marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata) and Variegated Horsetail (Equisetum variegatum).
Further east were originally situated high dunes imposing enough to have been given the
local names “Beacon Hill” and “Shorrock’s Hill”. These were entirely removed, leaving
a quarry, the eastern edge of which is a bluff about 10m high, once steep and sandy but
now slumped to about 30 o and clothed with pine planted in 1983 and regenerating poplar.
The adjacent quarry floor was invaded by scrub from the late 1960s onwards and now
supports a dense mixed woodland, especially of Grey Poplar (Populus x canescens),
Aspen (P. tremula), Hybrid Black-poplar (P. x canadensis) and Balm-of-Gilead (P. x