APPENDIX III - WILDLIFE SITES IN HARROGATE DISTRICT Appendix III Wildlife Sites in Harrogate District For any changes/additions to these areas since Adoption of the Harrogate District Local Plan in 2001, please contact the Council's Rural Strategy Officer, telephone (01423) 556594. Introduction This appendix lists those sites of natural interest in Harrogate District. All these sites are marked on the Proposals Map and are protected by Policies NC2 and NC3 of the Local Plan. It should be noted that certain sites straddle the District boundary and that areas beyond the District have not been shown. These include, for example, the East Nidderdale Moors SSSI, the East Keswick Fitts SSSI and the West Nidderdale, Barden & Blubberhouses Moors SSSI. Sites of European Nature Conservation Importance: Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are designated by the European Commission under the Birds Directive. Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are also desingated by the European Commission under the Habitat Directive. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are of national importance and designated by English Nature. Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) are of local interest and have been designated by the Borough Council. Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) are of local conservation importance and have been identified by the Borough Council following a field ecological survey carried out in conjunction with English Nature. SPECIAL PROTECTION AREAS (SPA) Grid Ref.(6 figure) Name Description 112854 - 177665 North Pennine Moors East Nidderdale Moors; West Nidderdale, Barden & 080705 - 985580 - 170510 Blubberhouses Moors SSSI (see SSSI description below). SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION (SAC) (Candidate areas yet to be formally designated) Grid Ref.(6 figure) Name Description 112854 - 177665 North Pennine Moors East Nidderdale Moors; West Nidderdale, Barden & 080705 - 985580 - 170510 Blubberhouses Moors SSSI (see SSSI description below). 398501 Kirk Deighton (see SSSI description below) SITES OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST Grid Ref.(6 figure) Name Description 453538 Aubert Ings, Cattal Unimproved neutral grassland. 359551 Birkham Wood, Knaresborough Composed of 2 distinct types of woodland reflecting their underlying geology - ash over limestone and oak in the areas of more acid soils. 344659 Bishop Monkton Ings, B. Monkton Diverse range of wetland habitats adjacent to Holbeck, a tributary of the River Ure. 212647 Brimham Rocks, near Notified primarily for its geological importance, Summmerbridge this site also supports valuable heathland. 323630 Burton Leonard Lime Quarry, This former limestone quarry now supports nationally B. Leonard important grassland plants, including many rare species. 218 Augmented Composite - July 2009 HARROGATE DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN February 2001 APPENDIX III - WILDLIFE SITES IN HARROGATE DISTRICT Grid Ref.(6 figure) Name Description 270730 Cow Myers, near Galphay The land contains extensive wetland plant communities. 338605 Farnham Mires, Farnham This site contains a variety of very diverse grassland plant communities. 352460 East Keswick Fitts/Sicklinghall River valley floodplain habitat of particular value to invertebrates. 112854 - 177665 East Nidderdale Moors Upland dry heath with blanket bog supporting bird (Flamstone Pin - High Ruckles) populations of European importance. 129693 Gouthwaite Reservoir, Nidderdale A reservoir of national importance for feeding ducks and waders. 268490 Great Almscliffe Crag, Huby One of the largest gritstone tors in the Pennines. 118640 Greenhow Pasture, Greenhow Neutral grassland formed over carboniferous limestone. 113639 Greenhow Quarry, Greenhow A site notified for its geological importance, where various mineral veins are exposed. 235772 Hackfall Wood, Grewelthorpe An ancient, largely undisturbed woodland with a range of plant communities reflecting the complex underlying geology. 364584 Hay-a-Park, Knaresborough A flooded former gravel working which supports important populations of wintering wildfowl and other wild birds. 223819 Mar Field Fen, Masham A sequence of wetland habitats bordering the River Ure. 379514 Newsome Bridge Quarry, A geological SSSI where the junction between the N. Deighton Permian Magnesian limestone and underlying millstone grit is exposed. 309693 Quarry Moor, Ripon Unimproved magnesian limestone grassland. 310750 Ripon Parks, Ripon A series of rare habitats, including sections of both the river itself and associated land on the margins. 442628 Upper Dunsforth Carrs, A mosaic of wet pasture and carr woodland bordering Upper Dunsforth a stream. 102755 Upper Nidderdale, Lofthouse A geological SSSI centred on the underground course of the River Nidd and How Stean Gorge. 080705 - 985580 - 170510West Nidderdale, Barden and Internationally important blanket bog and heather Blubberhouses Moors moorland supporting important breeding bird populations. 310750 - 307757 River Ure Banks, Ripon Parks, Subsidence hollows formed by the dissolution of Ripon Permian evaporite beds (including gypsum) in which sections of rock are exposed. 307692 Whitcliffe Section, Quarry Moor, A magnesian limestone cliff which exposes a layered Ripon sequence of Permian rocks and clays. 398501 Kirk Deighton Shallow ponds (and surrounding sheep grazed pasture and hedgerows) which support one of the largest known breeding populations of Great Crested Newt in the UK. Also a candidate SAC. LOCAL NATURE RESERVES (LNR) Grid Ref.(6 figure) Name Description 280549 Birk Crag, Harrogate An area of oak-rich woodland in the Oak Beck Valley to the west of Harrogate, dominated by the well- known millstone grit crags which afford splendid views across the moorland towards Haverah Park. The wood is especially good for birds and also supports a diverse insect fauna, including several rarities. Augmented Composite - July 2009 HARROGATE DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN February 2001 219 APPENDIX III - WILDLIFE SITES IN HARROGATE DISTRICT 320543 Hookstone Wood, Harrogate Hookstone is an ancient semi-natural woodland adjacent to the Great Yorkshire Showground on the edge of the Crimple Valley. It consists of a mixture of broadleaf tree species including oak, beech and birch and is intensively used by local people and schools. There is an area of wetland to the south of the wood formed by the flooded former brick ponds where many species of dragonfly have been recorded. Hookstone is also good for fungi. 301704 Hell Wath, Ripon An area of grassland and scrub bordering the River Skell to the west of the City; Hell Wath is a popular place for recreation. It supports a variety of plants characteristic of unimproved grassland and attracts several species of butterflies. The River Skell is an important wildlife habitat in its own right and is one of the least polluted rivers in the region. 309693 Quarry Moor, Ripon An area of scrub and grassland located on the southern edge of the City of Ripon. The land is bounded by a cliff face which provides a valuable insight into the geology of the Permian. Quarry Moor was designated as an SSSI in 1984. The land is rich in wildflowers typical of grassland growing on thin, infertile soils over magnesian limestone substrates, and it contains nationally rare plant species. The grassland attracts several species of butterfly during the summer, and the scrub and woodland habitat is valuable for a range of breeding birds in sprin and summer, and to flocks of thrushes in winter. SITES OF IMPORTANCE FOR NATURE CONSERVATION (SINC) The following list of SINCs has been subdivided by main habitat categories which are: Marshy Grassland Waterlogged ground, often dominated by rushes and supporting wetland plants such as Marsh Marigold, Ragged Robin and Meadowsweet. This vegetation has become rare due to drainage. Neutral Grassland Long established grasslands usually having a history of low-intensity farm management. They support a rich variety of wild flowers including Pignut, Ox-Eye Daisy, Cowslips and Knapweed. These flower-rich grasslands are now very rare. Calcareous Grassland Grasslands usually found on limestone rock and supporting a distinctive vegetation including Thyme, Autumn Gentian, Lady's Bedstraw and Marjoram. Acidic Grassland Grasslands dominated by a range of fine-leaved grasses such as fescues and bents and with flowering plants such as Tormentil and Heath Bedstraw. Grasslands in upland areas have some Heather and Bilberry along with other heath plants. Oak Woodlands Woodlands largely dominated by Oak in association with Birch and Rowan. There is often a rich ground flora with abundant Bluebells and other woodland plants along with Bracken. Wet Woodlands Woodlands on wet soils often dominated by Alder with a marshy ground vegetation including ferns and wetland plants such as Opposite-Leaved Golden Saxifrage. Calcareous Woodlands Woods frequently made up of Ash and sometimes with Hazel and Hawthorn shrubs beneath the canopy. The ground vegetation is often very rich with a diversity of plants including Wood Anemones, Dog's Mercury and Violets. Open Water Areas of open water often supporting significant numbers of wintering and breeding birds. They frequently have an interesting fringing vegetation of rushes, sedges and flowering plants such as Yellow Iris. 220 Augmented Composite - July 2009 HARROGATE DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN February 2001 APPENDIX III - WILDLIFE SITES IN HARROGATE DISTRICT FIG 6. SITES OF IMPORTANCE FOR NATURE CONSERVATION IN HARROGATE DISTRICT Augmented Composite - July 2009 HARROGATE DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN February 2001 221 APPENDIX III - WILDLIFE SITES IN HARROGATE