burren LIFE

Habitats of the Burren

Habitat Type: Limestone Pavement

Limestone pavement is a priority habitat (8240) for conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.

Description: Limestone pavement consists of blocks of limestone bedrock, known as clints, separated by fissures called grikes. It is the key element of the Burren landscape where it forms complex mosaics with calcareous grasslands and heaths. This extraordinary landscape feature is the result of the erosive action of glaciers during the last ice-age and subsequent dissolution by rainwater. Soil and vegetation are sparse. The Burren is one of the best examples of glaciated karst in Europe.