This article provides a list of sites in the United Kingdom which are recognised for their importance to biodiversity conservation. The list is divided geographically by region and county.
__NOTOC__ ContentsEngland Southwest • Southeast • Midlands • East Anglia • Northwest • Northeast Wales Scotland See also
Inclusion criteria Sites are included in this list if they are given any of the following designations:
Sites of importance in a global context Biosphere Reserves (BR) World Heritage Sites (WHS) (where biological interest forms part of the reason for designation) all Ramsar Sites
Sites of importance in a European context all Special Protection Areas (SPA) all Special Area of Conservation (SAC) all Important Bird Areas (IBA)
Sites of importance in a national context all sites which were included in the Nature Conservation Review (NCR site) all national nature reserves (NNR) Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), where biological interest forms part of the justification for notification (SSSIs which are designated purely for their geological interest are not included unless they meet other criteria)
England
Southwest
Cornwall Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Sites on the Penwith Peninsula Aire Point to Carrick Du SSSI Coastal cliffs and heathland Maritime and heathland plant communities; nationally rare & scarce plants and invertebrates NCR, SSSI Chyenhal Moor SSSI Leswidden Block Works Former china clay workings Populations of western rustwort, Marsupella profunda, an internationally rare liverwort SSSI Lower Bostraze China Clay Works Former china clay workings Populations of western rustwort, Marsupella profunda, an internationally rare liverwort SSSI Porthgwarra to Pordenack Point SSSI Treen Cliff SSSI The Lizard West Lizard SSSI Heathland Nationally rare & scarce plants & invertebrates SSSI Other sites Bodmin Moor Upland moorland Moorland birds, dragonflies & butterflies IBA Carrack Gladden Coastal headland Plant communities, nationally scarce plants SSSI Gwithian to Mexico Towans SSSI Godrevy Head to St Agnes SSSI The Hayle Estuary SSSI Lymsworthy Meadows SSSI Marazion Marsh SSSI Meddon Moor SSSI Porth Kidney Sands SSSI Tamar Estuary complex Estuary Estuary birds IBA
Devon
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) The Exe Estuary Dawlish Warren Vegetated sand spit and estuary Estuary birds, nationally rare plants NNR, SSSI Sites in east Devon Aylesbeare Common Heathland Heathland birds, dragonflies SSSI Bolshayne Fen Valley fen Fenland plant communities SSSI Sites in south Devon Berry Head Coastal headland Seabird colony, nationally rare plants SSSI South Milton Ley Freshwater reedbed Reedbed birds SSSI Sites in north Devon Bursdon Moor SSSI Bradworthy Common SSSI Kismeldon Meadows SSSI Deptford Farm Pastures SSSI Braunton Burrows Sand dune system Complete successional range, nationally rare plants and animals SSSI, BR, NNR (part), SAC
Dorset Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Poole Harbour Natural harbour (the second largest in the world, after Sydney harbour) Wintering shorebirds, wintering wildfowl IBA Brownsea Island Island, including a lagoon Red squirrel; breeding, wintering and migrant birds IBA, SSSI
Somerset Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Mendip Hills Priddy Mineries Heathland & pool Flora, invertebrates SSSI Other sites Cheddar Reservoir Artificial reservoir Wintering waterfowl SSSI Bridgwater Bay Estuary Estuary birds SSSI Brean Down Limestone headland Grassland plant communities; rare invertebrates SSSI Grove Farm SSSI Millwater SSSI Whitevine Meadows SSSI Windsor Hill Marsh Marshy field Locally notable plant species SSSI
Avon Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Ashton Court Deer park Saproxylic invertebrates SSSI Avon Gorge (Leigh Woods) Limestone gorge and semi-natural broad-leaved woodland Plant communities, insect communities NNR, SAC, SSSI Banwell Caves Caves Greater horseshoe bat roost site SSSI Biddle Street, Yatton SSSI Bishop's Hill Wood SSSI Blagdon Lake Artificial reservoir SSSI Bodkin Hazel Wood SSSI Brockley Hall Stables Former stable block Greater horseshoe bat breeding site SSSI Burledge Sidelands and Meadows Unimproved grassland SSSI Burrington Combe Limestone gorge SSSI Chew Valley Lake Artificial reservoir Wildfowl SPA, SSSI Cleeve Wood, Hanham Semi-natural broad-leaved woodland Nationally scarce plant SSSI Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines Stone mines Greater horseshoe bat roosts SSSI Compton Martin Ochre Mine Stone mine Greater horseshoe bat roost SSSI Congrove Field and The Tumps Unimproved grassland SSSI Ellenborough Park Dune grassland, managed as parkland Dune grassland plant communities including two Red Data Book species, branched horsetail and smooth rupturewort SSSI Folly Farm, Bishop Sutton Meadow and woodland Grassland plant communities, invertebrate communities SSSI Gordano valley Peatland Plant communities, invertebrate communities NNR, SSSI Harptree Combe Wooded combe Plant communities, invertebrate communities, the rare Appleyard's feather-moss SSSI Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton Wooded cliff and saltmarsh strip Plant communities, including the nationally rare True Service-tree SSSI Iford Manor Country house Greater horseshoe bat breeding site SSSI St Catherine's Valley Grassland Grassland plant communities; locally scarce plants SSSI Uphill Cliff SSSI Yanal Bog Lowland mire Plant communities SSSI
Wiltshire Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Baverstock Juniper Bank Chalk grassland and scrub Large population of juniper SSSI Bentley Wood Extensive area of semi-natural broadleaved woodland Insect communities SSSI Box Mine Abandoned stone mines Roost site for bats, including greater horseshoe SSSI Calstone and Cherhill Downs Extensive area of calcareous grassland One of a small number of British sites for the wart-biter SSSI Chilmark Quarries Quarries with a cave system Winter roost for Bechstein's bat and other bat species SSSI Fonthill Grottoes Subterranean follies Winter roost for up to nine bat species SSSI
Gloucestershire Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Forest of Dean Extensive area of semi-natural broadleaved woodland Plant communities, woodland birds, insect communities Dean Hall Coach House and Stables Country house Greater horseshoe bat breeding roost SSSI
Southeast
Bedfordshire
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Barton Hills Lowland grassland Grassland plant communities NNR King's Wood, Heath and Reach Woodland Woodland plant communities NNR Knocking Hoe Grassland Grassland plant communities NNR
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Windsor Hill SSSI Beech woodland, scrub and chalk grassland Plant communities NCR, SSSI
Essex
Greater London
Hampshire
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Upper Greensand Hangars Semi-natural broadleaved woodland Plant communities and geology SSSI
Hertfordshire
Kent
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Burham DownCalcareous woodland and grassland SSSI Burham Marsh SSSI East Blean WoodsHeath fritillary SSSI, SAC, NNR Hothfield CommonHeath LNR, SSSI Lydden Temple EwellCalcareous grasslandEarly spider orchid, burnt orchid, silver-spotted skipper, Adonis blue SSSI, SAC, NNR Marden MeadowNeutral grasslandGreen-winged orchid Part SSSI Oare Marshes SSSI, Ramsar Site, LNR, SPA, ESA Park Gate DownCalcareous grasslandLady orchid, late spider orchid, monkey orchid and musk orchid, SSSI, SAC Queendown WarrenCalcareous grasslandEarly spider orchid and lady orchid SSSI, SAC, LNR Romney Marsh Visitor Centre SSSI, LNR Sandwich and Pegwell BayCoastal grassland and dunesLizard orchid SSSI, Ramsar Site, SPA, cSAC, NNR Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve SSSI South Swale SSSI, Ramsar Site, LNR, SPA, ESA West BleanHeath fritillary SSSI Westfield WoodCalcareous woodland SAC, SSSI Yockletts BankCalcareous woodlandLady orchid SSSI
Oxfordshire
Surrey
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Bookham Commons Woodland, grassland and scrub Locally notable plants, rare moths, breeding bird communities SSSI
Sussex
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Midlands
Derbyshire
Herefordshire
Leicestershire
Northamptonshire
Shropshire
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Catherton Common Uncultivated heathland Nationally scarce bird, insect and plant species SSSI
Staffordshire
Nottinghamshire
Warwickshire
Worcestershire
Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve Wetland (freshwater & saline pools) Many species of birds, including avocet, curlew, ringed plover and bittern SSSI Wyre Forest Semi-natural woodland Wildlife including hawfinch, dipper, common crossbill, pied flycatcher, long-eared owl and adder. NNR, SSSI
East Anglia
Northwest
Cheshire Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Sandbach Flashes Wetland (partially saline, even though inland) Aquatic plant & invertebrate communities; woodland lichen flora; wintering wildfowl and waders SSSI
Northeast
Lincolnshire Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Potter Hanworth Wood Small-leaved lime woodland Plant & animal communities SSSI
Yorkshire Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Grass Wood, Wharfedale Woodland with areas of limestone grassland Plant community SSSI
County Durham Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Bishop Middleham Quarry Disused quarry Magnesian limestone grassland plant communities SSSI
Wales
Anglesey Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Holy Island seabird cliffs South Stack Coastal cliff Seabird colony SPA Anglesey tern colonies The Skerries Offshore islets Seabird colony IBA, SPA, SSSI Cemlyn Bay and lagoon Coastal lagoon Tern colony IBA, SPA, SSSI Ynys Feurig Offshore islets Tern colony IBA, SPA, SSSI Other sites Fedw Fawr Coastal cliff Seabird colony SSSI
Scotland
Northeast Scotland Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Fowlsheugh, Kincardineshire Cliff Seabird colony SPA, SSSI
Shetland Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) Hermaness Cliff Seabird colony NNR
Unst
Orkney
Outer Hebrides Lewis and Harris North Uist, South Uist and Benbecula
Other islands Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s) St Kilda Island group Seabird colony (largest in Britain), endemic subspecies of wren and wood mouse IBA, NNR, WHS North Rona Island Seabird colony IBA, NNR Sula Sgeir Island Seabird colony IBA, NNR Flannan Isles Island group Seabird colony IBA Shiant Isles Island Seabird colony, passage & wintering geese IBA Monach Islands Island group Breeding seabirds, passage & wintering geese IBA
See also Conservation in the United Kingdom National Nature Reserves in the United Kingdom Sites of Special Scientific Interest
References