National Nature Reserves in England
Encyclopedia
National Nature Reserves in England are managed by Natural England
and are key places for wildlife
and natural features in England
. They were established to protect the most important areas of habitat and of geological formations. NNRs are managed on behalf of the nation, not always by Natural England
themselves, but sometimes by non-governmental organisations such as the members of The Wildlife Trusts partnership
, the National Trust
, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
or others.
There are over 224 NNRs in England covering over 800 km² and practically every kind of landscape. Often they contain rare species or nationally important species of plants, insects, butterflies, birds, mammals etc.
The following is a selective list of NNRs
Natural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
and are key places for wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
and natural features in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They were established to protect the most important areas of habitat and of geological formations. NNRs are managed on behalf of the nation, not always by Natural England
Natural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
themselves, but sometimes by non-governmental organisations such as the members of The Wildlife Trusts partnership
The Wildlife Trusts partnership
The Wildlife Trusts is an organisation made up of 47 local Wildlife Trusts in the United Kingdom plus the Isle of Man and Alderney.The Wildlife Trusts, between them, look after around 2,300 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares...
, the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
or others.
There are over 224 NNRs in England covering over 800 km² and practically every kind of landscape. Often they contain rare species or nationally important species of plants, insects, butterflies, birds, mammals etc.
Spotlight NNRs
From the 250+ reserves, Natural England has selected 35 as "Spotlight Reserves":The following is a selective list of NNRs
- Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR, MerseysideMerseysideMerseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
- Aston Rowant NNRAston Rowant NNRAston Rowant Nature Reserve is located on the western escarpment of the Chiltern Hills near Stokenchurch on the Oxfordshire - Buckinghamshire border in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The reserve is in several sections, divided by the M40 motorway in the Aston Rowant Cutting...
, OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire .... - Barnack Hills & Holes NNRBarnack Hills & Holes NNRBarnack Hills & Holes is managed as a National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest by Natural England, a non-departmental public body vested in 2006. It is situated in the village of Barnack in the unitary authority area of Peterborough in the United Kingdom...
, CambridgeshireCambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... - Castle Eden DeneCastle Eden DeneCastle Eden Dene is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve in the Easington district of County Durham, England. It is located immediately south of Peterlee, between the A19 and A1086 roads....
, County DurhamCounty DurhamCounty Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington... - Derbyshire Dales NNRDerbyshire Dales NNRThe Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve is a series of unconnected limestone dales in the Peak District National Park. It is managed by Natural England and has a permanent staff of wardens who carry out conservation works and ensure the dales are usable for recreation.The dales are:*Lathkill...
, DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx... - Duncombe Park NNR, North YorkshireNorth YorkshireNorth Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
- Durham Coast, County Durham
- East Dartmoor Woods and Heaths NNR, DevonDevonDevon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
- Farne Islands NNRFarne IslandsThe Farne Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Northumberland, England. There are between 15 and 20 or more islands depending on the state of the tide. They are scattered about 2.5–7.5 km distant from the mainland, divided into two groups, the Inner Group and the Outer Group...
, NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region... - Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses NNRFenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses NNRFenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve is a National Nature Reserve which straddles the border between England and Wales, near Whixall and Ellesmere in Shropshire, England....
, ShropshireShropshireShropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
(and partly in WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) - Finglandrigg Woods NNR, CumbriaCumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
- Gait Barrows NNR, LancashireLancashireLancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
- Gibraltar Point NNRGibraltar PointGibraltar Point National Nature Reserve is an area of approximately in Lincolnshire, England.The reserve is owned by Lincolnshire County Council and East Lindsey District Council and is administered by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust...
, LincolnshireLincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... - Golitha Falls NNR, CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
- Holkham NNRHolkham NNRHolkham NNR is a National Nature Reserve in Norfolk, England, managed by Natural England with the cooperation of the Holkham Estate.It lies between Wells-next-the-Sea, Holkham and Burnham Overy Staithe, and the total area is 39 km². It includes a wide range of habitats: sandflats, sanddunes,...
, Norfolk - Ingleborough NNR, North YorkshireNorth YorkshireNorth Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
- Kingley Vale NNRKingley Vale NNRThe Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve is a National Nature Reserve near Chichester, West Sussex in southern England, and is part of the South Downs. It covers an area of 160 hectares. It is part of the wider Site of Special Scientific Interest Kingley Vale.The site is managed by Natural...
, West SussexWest SussexWest Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming... - LindisfarneLindisfarneLindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
, NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region... - Lower Derwent Valley NNR, East Riding of YorkshireEast Riding of YorkshireThe East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
- Moor House-Upper TeesdaleMoor House-Upper TeesdaleMoor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve covers 7,400 ha of the Pennine moors in the north of England. It straddles Cumbria and County Durham. It was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1976....
, CumbriaCumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
& County Durham - North Meadow, Cricklade NNR, WiltshireWiltshireWiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
- Old Winchester Hill NNROld Winchester HillOld Winchester Hill is a chalk hill in Hampshire, England surmounted by an Iron Age hill fort and a Bronze Age cemetery. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. The hill fort has never been fully excavated.-Location:...
, HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force... - Redgrave and Lopham Fen, NorfolkNorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
& SuffolkSuffolkSuffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east... - Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNRSaltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature ReserveSaltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes is a National Nature Reserve on the coast of Lincolnshire, England, in the parishes of Saltfleetby and Theddlethorpe...
, LincolnshireLincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... - Shapwick HeathShapwick HeathShapwick Heath is a 394.0-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve between Shapwick and Westhay in Somerset, notified in 1967. It is part of the Brue Valley Living Landscape conservation project. The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore,...
NNR, SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the... - Slapton Ley NNRSlapton LeySlapton Ley is a lagoon on the south coast of Devon, England, separated from Start Bay by a shingle beach, known as Slapton Sands.It is the largest natural freshwater lake in South West England....
, DevonDevonDevon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... - Stiperstones NNR, ShropshireShropshireShropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
- Stodmarsh NNRStodmarsh National Nature ReserveStodmarsh National Nature Reserve lies in the valley of the Great Stour river, between Westbere and Grove Ferry, in the county of Kent, and forms part of the extensive Stodmarsh SSSI...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... - Studland and Godlingston Heath NNRStudland and Godlingston Heath NNRThe Studland and Godlingston Heaths NNR is located on the Isle of Purbeck bordering Studland Bay on the South Side of Poole Harbour, between Swanage and Sandbanks. Extending to 631ha, it is owned and managed by the National Trust following the Bankes bequest of the Kingston Lacy estate...
, DorsetDorsetDorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974... - Teesmouth NNR, TeessideTeessideTeesside is the name given to the conurbation in the north east of England made up of the towns of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the River Tees. It was also the name of a local government district between 1968 and 1974—the County Borough of...
- The Lizard NNR, CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
- Thursley NNR, SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
- Walberswick NNR, SuffolkSuffolkSuffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
- Wicken FenWicken FenWicken Fen is a wetland nature reserve situated near the village of Wicken, Cambridgeshire, England.It is one of Britain's oldest nature reserves, and was the first reserve acquired by the National Trust, in 1899. The reserve includes fenland, farmland, marsh, and reedbeds...
, CambridgeshireCambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... - Wye NNR, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
List of NNRs
For a full list of English NNRs, see List of National Nature Reserves in EnglandNNRs by County
- National Nature Reserves in BedfordshireNational Nature Reserves in BedfordshireNational Nature Reserves in Bedfordshire, England are established by Natural England and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust.- List of reserves :...
- National Nature Reserves in CambridgeshireNational Nature Reserves in CambridgeshireNational Nature Reserves in Cambridgeshire, England are established by Natural England and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust.- List of reserves :...
- National Nature Reserves in CumbriaNational Nature Reserves in CumbriaNational Nature Reserves in England were established by English Nature, now Natural England, which manages them either directly or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust....
- National Nature Reserves in DerbyshireNational Nature Reserves in DerbyshireNational Nature Reserves in Derbyshire, England, are established by English Nature and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust.List of reserves:* Biggin Dale NNR...
- National Nature Reserves in LancashireNational Nature Reserves in LancashireNational Nature Reserves in Lancashire in England are established by English Nature and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust.-List of reserves:...
- National Nature Reserves in NorfolkNational Nature Reserves in NorfolkNational Nature Reserves in Norfolk, England are established by Natural England and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust....
- National Nature Reserves in SomersetNational Nature Reserves in SomersetNational Nature Reserves in Somerset, England are established by English Nature and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, National Trust, Avon Wildlife Trust or the Somerset Wildlife Trust....
- National Nature Reserves in SuffolkNational Nature Reserves in SuffolkNational Nature Reserves in Suffolk, England are established by Natural England and managed by them or by non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the National Trust or the Suffolk Wildlife Trust....
- National Nature Reserves in Yorkshire
See also
- Nature reserveNature reserveA nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
- National Nature Reserves in Northern IrelandNational Nature Reserves in Northern IrelandNature reserves in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom are designated and maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.-List of Nature Reserves:*Altikeeragh Nature Reserve*Annagarriff Nature Reserve*Ballymaclary Nature Reserve...
- National Nature Reserves in ScotlandNational Nature Reserves in ScotlandNational Nature Reserves in Scotland are established by Scottish Natural Heritage. Until 2004 there were 73 National Nature Reserves in Scotland, as per the list below...
- National Nature Reserves in WalesNational Nature Reserves in WalesNational Nature Reserves in Wales are administered by the Countryside Council for Wales. There are 67 reserves.-North Wales:*Allt y Benglogro*Ceunant Cynfal*Ceunant Llennurch*Coed Camlyn*Coed Cymerau...