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| What are National Nature Reserves? |
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| What is a nature reserve? |
| National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are places where wildlife comes first. They were established to protect the most important areas of wildlife habitat and geological formations in Britain, and as places for scientific research. This does not mean they are "no-go areas" for people. It means that we must be
careful not to damage the wildlife of these fragile places. |
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| What does "national" mean? |
| It means that every NNR is "nationally important" and that they are all among the best examples of a particular habitat. It also means that NNRs are carefully managed on behalf of the nation. They are either owned or controlled by English Nature or held by approved bodies such as Wildlife Trusts. |
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| How many are there? |
| At the end of March 2004 there were 215
NNRs in England covering over 87,900 hectares. The Reserves are scattered
through England, from Lindisfarne in Northumberland to The Lizard
in Cornwall. Nearly every rural county has at least one. |
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| What type of habitats do NNRs cover? |
| Nearly every type of vegetation is found in England's NNRs, from coastal salt-marshes, dunes and cliffs to downlands, meadows and the subtle variations of our native woodlands. Scarce and threatened habitats such as chalk downs, lowland heaths and bogs and estuaries are conserved in NNRs. |
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| What about rare species? |
| Many NNRs contain nationally important populations of rare flowers, ferns and mosses, butterflies and other insects, and of course nesting and wintering birds. Examples include unique alpine plants at Upper Teesdale and the beautiful field of fritillary lilies at North Meadow Cricklade,
Wiltshire.We do not always advertise rarities, to avoid attracting too much attention to them. |
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| Do we welcome visitors? |
Yes we do! We want people to appreciate
these wonderful places. The majority of NNRs have some form of access
but to make it easier for visitors we have "spotlighted" 35 reserves
that offer the best opportunities to experience wildlife and the countryside.
These Spotlight reserves are all identified in the NNR database.
We ask you to follow the Country Code and respect any requests not to stray into sensitive areas. Look out for our Site Managers or Voluntary Wardens who will be pleased to help or advise you. Above all, enjoy your visit. |
