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.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008) |
Contents |
England |
Sites are included in this list if they are given any of the following designations:
Sites of importance in a global context
Sites of importance in a European context
Sites of importance in a national context
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Windsor Hill SSSI | Beech woodland, scrub and chalk grassland | Plant communities | NCR, SSSI |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Upper Greensand Hangars | Semi-natural broadleaved woodland | Plant communities and geology | SSSI |
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 |
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Catherton Common | Uncultivated heathland | Nationally scarce bird, insect and plant species | SSSI |
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[1] | SSSI |
Wyre Forest | Semi-natural woodland | Wildlife including hawfinch, dipper, common crossbill, pied flycatcher, long-eared owl and adder. | NNR, SSSI |
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 |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Potter Hanworth Wood | Small-leaved lime woodland | Plant & animal communities | SSSI |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Grass Wood, Wharfedale | Woodland with areas of limestone grassland | Plant community | SSSI |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Bishop Middleham Quarry | Disused quarry | Magnesian limestone grassland plant communities | SSSI |
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 |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Fowlsheugh, Kincardineshire | Cliff | Seabird colony | SPA, SSSI |
Site name(s) | Type of site | Nature conservation interest | Designation(s) |
Hermaness | Cliff | Seabird colony | NNR |
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 |