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Wikipedia list article
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.
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
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
SSSI
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
SSSI
SSSI
SSSI
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 [ ]
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
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
Grassland
Grassland plant communities; locally scarce plants
SSSI
Uphill Cliff
SSSI
Yanal Bog
Lowland mire
Plant communities
SSSI
Wiltshire [ ]
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 [ ]
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)
Semi-natural broadleaved woodland
Plant communities and geology
SSSI
Hertfordshire [ ]
Kent [ ]
Site name(s)
Type of site
Nature conservation interest
Designation(s)
Burham Down
Calcareous woodland and grassland
SSSI
Burham Marsh
SSSI
East Blean Woods
Heath fritillary
SSSI, SAC, NNR
Hothfield Common
Heath
LNR, SSSI
Lydden Temple Ewell
Calcareous grassland
Early spider orchid , burnt orchid , silver-spotted skipper , Adonis blue
SSSI, SAC, NNR
Neutral grassland
Green-winged orchid
Part SSSI
Oare Marshes
SSSI, Ramsar Site, LNR, SPA, ESA
Park Gate Down
Calcareous grassland
Lady orchid , late spider orchid , monkey orchid and musk orchid ,
SSSI, SAC
Queendown Warren
Calcareous grassland
Early spider orchid and lady orchid
SSSI, SAC, LNR
SSSI, LNR
Sandwich and Pegwell Bay
Coastal grassland and dunes
Lizard orchid
SSSI, Ramsar Site, SPA, cSAC, NNR
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve
SSSI
South Swale
SSSI, Ramsar Site, LNR, SPA, ESA
West Blean
Heath fritillary
SSSI
Westfield Wood
Calcareous woodland
SAC, SSSI
Yockletts Bank
Calcareous woodland
Lady 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 [ ]
Staffordshire [ ]
Nottinghamshire [ ]
Warwickshire [ ]
Worcestershire [ ]
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 [ ]