West Park Meadows

West Park Meadows
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Country England
Region North East
District Teesdale
Location NY940229
 - coordinates GB-ENG 54°36′6″N 2°5′37″W / 54.60167°N 2.09361°W / 54.60167; -2.09361Coordinates: GB-ENG 54°36′6″N 2°5′37″W / 54.60167°N 2.09361°W / 54.60167; -2.09361
Area 6.7 ha (16.6 acres)
Notification 1989
Management Natural England
Area of Search County Durham
Interest Biological
Map of England and Wales with a red dot representing the location of the West Park Meadows SSSI, Co Durham
Location of West Park Meadows SSSI, Co Durham
Website: Map of site

West Park Meadows is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Teesdale district of County Durham, England. It is situated in Lunedale, just north of Grassholme Reservoir, about 2.5 km upstream from the village of Mickleton.

The site consists of two large hay meadows, which are managed in a traditional manner, without re-seeding or the use of artificial fertilisers, and which, as a consequence, support a rich variety of species characteristic of northern hay meadows, a habitat that is diminishing under the threat from intensive agriculture.

Species that are present in abundance include great burnet, Sanguisorba officinalis, wood crane's-bill, Geranium sylvaticum, and meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria, while common spotted orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, and early purple orchid, Orchis mascula, are among the species found on the steeper, uncut banks within the meadows.[1]

References

  1. "West Park Meadows" (PDF). English Nature. 1989. Retrieved 23 July 2010.


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