List of UK sites recognised for their importance in biodiversity conservation

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 expanding it.
Contents

England
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

Sites of importance in a European context

Sites of importance in a national context

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

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

Hampshire

Site name(s) Type of site Nature conservation interest Designation(s)
Upper Greensand Hangars Semi-natural broadleaved woodland Plant communities and geology SSSI

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
Marden Meadow 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
Romney Marsh Visitor Centre 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

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

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

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

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