Wildlife sites around York Introduction The City of York is a special place, not only for its history, buildings and archaeology, but also for its wildlife. York supports a wide variety of species and habitats many of which are of national, regional or local conservation importance. York is home to the endangered tansy beetle which until 2014 was only known to occur along stretches of the Rivers Ouse and Foss around York and Selby. Almost ten percent of the UK’s flower-rich ancient flood meadows are found in York. Otters and water voles can be found along the Rivers Ouse and Foss. York is also the site of the country’s most northerly example of extensive lowland heath at Strensall Common as well as hosting internationally important populations of wetland birds in the Lower Derwent Valley. The City of York Council has produced this guide to a selection of easily accessible wildlife sites to be found in the York area. We hope you will enjoy seeing some of the amazing wildlife living in York. Please respect these precious places, follow ‘The Countryside Code’ and obey any local regulations. Most of the sites are accessible using public transport or designated cycle routes. Map of sites ..........................................10 Conservation organisations ..........18 Rivers and cycle path .......................17 Friends groups ....................................19 The Countryside Code ....................18 Volunteering opportunities ...........19 Woodland Plants/flowers Access via Grassland Birds Bus Wetland Insects Footpath Heath/scrub Mammals Cycle path The Countryside CodeThe Countryside18 Code 18 Reptiles Conservation organisationsConservation18 organisations 18 Amphibians Friends groiups Friend19 s groiups 19 Fish Volunteering opportunitiesVolunteering19 opportunities 19 2 Wildlife sites around York 1 Acomb Wood and Meadow woodpeckers, tawny owls and tree Local Nature Reserve creepers have been spotted here. SE 570 494 | YO24 3XN The ground flora includes bluebells and dogs’ mercury with extensive areas of bramble. Uncommon flowers Access – Acomb Wood Drive include sanicle and twayblade. The Disabled Access – Yes site is owned and managed by the The Countryside Code 18 Regulations – keep dogs on a lead Woodland Trust. TheThe ConsCountryside Countrysideervation Code organisationsCode 18 18 18 12 and 14 Friends groiups 19 TheTheCons ConsCountryside Countrysideervationervation organisationsCode organisationsCode 18 1818 18 See www.york.gov.uk – search for 2 Askham Bog Volunteering opportunities 19 ConsConsFriendervationFriendervations groiupss groiupsorganisations organisations1919 18 18 Acomb Wood and Meadow SE575 481 | YO23 2UB VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 FriendFriends groiupss groiups 1919 Acomb Wood (East) is a mature, VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 even-aged woodland dominated Access – via track adjacent to mainly by oak. Typical species include Pike Hills Golf Club The Countryside Code 18 robin, great tit, blue tit, wood mouse Disabled Access – partially accessible TheThe ConsCountryside Countrysideervation Code organisationsCode 18 18 18 and grey squirrel. via a boardwalk Friends groiups 19 TheTheCons ConsCountryside Countrysideervationervation organisationsCode organisationsCode 18 1818 18 Acomb Wood Meadow is an example Regulations – keep dogs on leads, ConsConsFriendervationFriendervationVoluns groiupss groiupsorganisationsteering organisations opportunities1919 18 18 19 of agriculturally unimproved neutral no cycling FriendFriendVolunVoluns groiupssteering groiupsteering opportunities opportunities1919 19 19 grassland. Typical flowers include 3 VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 meadowsweet, greater birds-foot www.ywt.org.uk/nature-reserves/ trefoil, common knapweed and askham-bog-nature-reserve meadow vetchling. The meadow A small, but botanically rich site also attracts a variety of butterflies consisting of fen, bog and woodland. including common blue, small skipper The fen meadows are particularly and small copper. colourful in June when a profusion of water violets, marsh orchids, 1 Acomb Wood (West) ragged robin and yellow flag can be SE 570 494 | YO24 3XN seen. Birds are abundant, including woodcock, buzzard, willow and marsh tits, grasshopper and reed Access – Acomb Wood Drive warblers. A good location for Disabled Access - Yes woodland birds, roe deer and the The Countryside Code 18 Regulations – keep dogs on a lead enormous royal fern. The site is TheThe ConsCountryside Countrysideervation Code organisationsCode 18 18 18 12 and 14 Friends groiups 19 owned by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. TheTheCons ConsCountryside Countrysideervationervation organisationsCode organisationsCode 18 1818 18 See www.york.gov.uk – search for ConsConsFriendervationFriendervationVoluns groiupss groiupsorganisationsteering organisations opportunities1919 18 18 19 Acomb Wood and Meadow VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 FriendFriends groiupss groiups 1919 A small woodland which makes a VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 welcome break in an otherwise urban landscape. Great-spotted Wildlife sites around York 3 3 Bachelor Hill, Westfield SE 567 508 | YO24 3BD Access from Askham Lane Disabled Access - No 1 and 5a The Countryside Code 18 See www.york.gov.uk – search for TheCons Countrysideervation organisations Code 1818 Bachelor Hill Askham Bog/Trevor Walton Friends groiups 19 Conservation organisations 18 area is a beautiful place to visit for Volunteering opportunities 19 A well-hidden site which provides Friends groiups 19 panoramic views across the city walks and picnics, where there is an Volunteering opportunities 19 and as far as The Yorkshire Wolds abundance of plants and wildlife to and The North York Moors. Grassy enjoy. The pond has always been very slopes and a copse of pine trees popular with anglers and the species make this an attractive location for of fish present include roach, bream, picnics. Very unusual in York are perch, tench and pike. areas of exposed sand with clusters of evening primrose adding bright 5 Clifton Backies Local Nature splashes of colour. Part of the site Reserve has been enhanced by the addition of SE 598 543 | YO30 6PQ or YO30 6JF wildflowers transferred from a site to be developed. The Countryside Code 18 Access - Water Lane or Sutton Way Conservation organisations 18 Disabled Access - Yes Chapman’s Pond 6 and 9 The Countryside Code 18 Friends groiups 19 4 The TheCountryside Countryside Code Code 18 18 SE 579 491 | YO24 2QY Conservation organisations 18 Volunteering opportunities 19 www.cliftonbackies.org.uk Friends groiups 19 ConsTheervationCons Countrysideervation organisations organisationsCode 18 18 18 Clifton Backies contains a relatively Volunteering opportunitiesFriend 19ConsFriendservation groiupss groiups organisations19 19 18 Access – Moor Lane large area of old, agriculturally- VolunFriendVolunteerings groiupsteering opportunities opportunities19 19 19 Disabled Access – Yes unimproved grassland, together with Volunteering opportunities 19 12 and 14 thickets and hedgerows. TheThe Countryside Countryside Code Code 18 18 See www.york.gov.uk – search for The site previously formed part of TheTheCons ConsCountryside Countrysideervationervation organisationsCode organisationsCode 18 1818 18 Chapman’s Pond FriendFriends groiupss groiups 1919 Clifton aerodrome. The track verges ConsConservationervation organisations organisations 18 18 support an interesting flora. Scrubby VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 This former clay workings is one of FriendFriends groiupss groiups 1919 the five remaining flooded brick pits areas provide valuable habitat VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 in York. The pond is well stocked for breeding and wintering birds. with a variety of coarse fish species Short-eared owls have occasionally and has three fishing platforms. It is been seen in winter hunting over surrounded by meadow grassland the grassland and Long- eared owl and scrub woodland. This special recorded as a possible winter roost. 4 Wildlife sites around York 6 Clifton Ings 7 Fishponds Wood The Countryside CodeSE 582 18 531 | YO30 6LP SE574 518 | YO26 5JX Conservation organisations 18 TheFriend Countrysides groiups Code19 Access18 – via riverside public footpath Access – via Woodlea Avenue or and cycle route, Water End Danebury Drive ConsVolunervationteering organisations opportunities 18 19 The TheCountryside Countryside Code Code 18 18 Disabled Access – Yes Disabled Access - Yes The Countryside Code 18 ConsTheervationCons CountrysideFriendervation organisationss groiups organisationsCode 1819 18 18 Regulations – keep to the public 5 FriendFriends groiupsVoluns groiupsteering 19opportunities19 19footpath adjacent to the river or the TheCons Countrysideervation organisations Code 1818 TheThe ConsCountryside Countrysideervation Code organisationsCode 18 18 18 yorkcivictrust.co.uk/wp-content/ VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 cycle route ConsFriendervations groiups organisations19 18 ConsConservationFriendervations groiupsorganisations organisations19 18 18 uploads/2017/06/Fishponds- 2, 19, 29, 30, 30X and 31X FriendVolunsteering groiups opportunities19 19 FriendFriendVoluns groiupss groiupsteering opportunities1919 19 Wood.pdf designatedsites.naturalengland.org. Volunteering opportunities 19 VolunVolunteeringteering opportunities opportunities 19 19 Fishponds Wood is an unusual wood uk/PDFsForWeb/