Thetford Heaths
Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Location | Suffolk |
---|---|
Grid reference | TL 851 801[1] |
Interest | Biological Geological |
Area | 270.6 hectares[1] |
Notification | 1993[1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Thetford Heaths is a 270.6-hectare (669-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Suffolk.[1][2] It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I,[3] and parts of it are a national nature reserve,[4][5] and a Geological Conservation Review,[6] It is part of the Breckland Special Area of Conservation,[7][8] and Special Protection Area[9][10] A large part of this dry heathland site is calcareous grassland, and some areas are grazed by sheep or rabbits. There are several nationally rare plants and an uncommon heathland bird, and many lichens and mosses.[11]
The site
Thetford Heaths is an area of dry heathland in the Breckland. A range of soil types gives rise to areas of a variety of grassland types including calcareous, neutral and acidic, as well as scrubland and regenerating deciduous woodland. Part of the site is owned by the Norfolk Naturalists Trust and is managed as the Thetford Heath National Nature Reserve, and part is used for training purposes by the army. The calcareous grassland is grazed in places by sheep and is dominated by sheep’s fescue, crested hair-grass and meadow oat-grass. In the shortest, rabbit-nibbled turf, there may be little grass, and small herbs such as purple milkvetch, early forget-me-not and little mouse-ear may predominate, along with lichens.[11] Longer grassy areas have such plants as bird's-foot trefoil, lesser meadow-rue, lady’s bedstraw and small scabious. Where they can get a foothold, annual species such as common whitlowgrass, thyme-leaved sandwort and shepherd’s cress occur. Other areas of heathland are dominated by heather, and lichens and mosses.[11]
Birds of importance in the Breckland include the Eurasian stone-curlew, the European nightjar and the woodlark.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Thetford Heaths". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "Map of Thetford Heaths". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ Ratcliffe, Derek, ed. (1977). A Nature Conservation Review. Vol. 2. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 0521-21403-3.
- ^ "Suffolk's National Nature Reserves". Natural England. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Thetford Heath". National Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Thetford Heath (Quaternary of East Anglia)". Geological Conservation Review. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Breckland". Special Areas of Conservation. Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Breckland". Special Area of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Breckland". Special Protection Area. Natural England. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Special Protection Areas under the EC Birds Directive. Breckland" (PDF). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- ^ a b c "Thetford Heaths citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
52°23′N 0°43′E / 52.39°N 0.72°E / 52.39; 0.72
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- Abbey Wood, Flixton
- Alde–Ore Estuary
- Arger Fen
- Bangrove Wood, Ixworth
- Barking Woods
- Barnby Broad and Marshes
- Barnham Heath
- Berner's Heath
- Bixley Heath
- Black Ditches, Cavenham
- Blaxhall Heath
- Blo' Norton and Thelnetham Fens
- Bradfield Woods
- Breckland Farmland
- Breckland Forest
- Brent Eleigh Woods
- Bugg's Hole Fen, Thelnetham
- Burgate Wood
- Cavendish Woods
- Cavenham–Icklingham Heaths
- Cherry Hill and The Gallops, Barton Mills
- Chippenhall Green
- Combs Wood
- Cornard Mere
- Crag Pit, Sutton
- Cransford Meadow
- Deadman's Grave, Icklingham
- Deben Estuary
- Dew's Ponds
- Edwardstone Woods
- Elmsett Park Wood
- Eriswell Low Warren
- Fakenham Wood and Sapiston Great Grove
- Fox Fritillary Meadow
- Foxhole Heath
- Freston and Cutler's Woods with Holbrook Park
- Frithy and Chadacre Woods
- The Gardens, Great Ashfield
- Gipping Great Wood
- Glemsford Pits
- The Glen Chalk Caves, Bury St Edmunds
- Gosbeck Wood
- Gromford Meadow
- Groton Wood
- Gypsy Camp Meadows, Thrandeston
- Hay Wood, Whepstead
- Horringer Court Caves
- High House Meadows, Monewden
- Hintlesham Woods
- Hopton Fen
- How Hill Track
- Iken Wood
- Ipswich Heaths
- Kentwell Woods
- Knettishall Heath
- Lackford Lakes
- Lakenheath Poor's Fen
- Lakenheath Warren
- Landguard Common
- Laurel Farm Meadow
- Leiston - Aldeburgh
- Lineage Wood & Railway Track, Long Melford
- Lingwood Meadows
- Little Blakenham Pit
- Little Heath, Barnham
- London Road Industrial Estate, Brandon
- Lordswell Field
- Maidscross Hill
- Major Farm Meadow
- Metfield Meadow
- Mickfield Meadow
- Middle Wood, Offton
- Milden Thicks
- Minsmere–Walberswick Heaths and Marshes
- Moat Farm Meadows
- Monewden Meadows
- Nacton Meadows
- Newbourne Springs
- Newmarket Heath
- Norton Wood
- Orwell Estuary
- Over and Lawn Woods
- Pakefield to Easton Bavents
- Pakenham Meadows
- Pashford Poor's Fen, Lakenheath
- Potton Hall Fields, Westleton
- RAF Lakenheath
- Redgrave and Lopham Fens
- Rex Graham Reserve
- Riverside House Meadow
- Sandlings Forest
- Sinks Valley, Kesgrave
- Sizewell Marshes
- Snape Warren
- Sotterley Park
- Sprat's Water and Marshes, Carlton Colville
- Stallode Wash, Lakenheath
- Stanton Woods
- Staverton Park and The Thicks, Wantisden
- Stour Estuary
- Sutton and Hollesley Heaths
- Thetford Heaths
- Thorpe Morieux Woods
- Titsal Wood, Shadingfield
- Trundley and Wadgell's Wood, Great Thurlow
- Tunstall Common
- Wangford Warren and Carr
- Weather and Horn Heaths, Eriswell
- West Stow Heath
- Westhall Wood and Meadow
- Weston Fen
- Wilde Street Meadow
- Wortham Ling
- Alde-Ore Estuary
- Aldeburgh Brick Pit
- Aldeburgh Hall Pit
- Bawdsey Cliff
- Bobbitshole, Belstead
- Breckland Forest
- Buckanay Farm Pit, Alderton
- Chillesford Church Pit
- Corton Cliffs
- Crag Farm Pit, Sudbourne
- Crag Pit, Aldeburgh
- Creeting St Mary Pits
- Ferry Cliff, Sutton
- Flixton Quarry
- Gedgrave Hall Pit
- Great Blakenham Pit
- Hascot Hill Pit
- Holton Pit
- Hoxne Brick Pit
- Neutral Farm Pit, Butley
- Pakefield to Easton Bavents
- Ramsholt Cliff
- Red House Farm Pit
- Red Lodge Heath
- Richmond Farm Pit, Gedgrave
- Rockhall Wood Pit, Sutton
- Round Hill Pit, Aldeburgh
- Sandy Lane Pit, Barham
- Stoke Tunnel Cutting, Ipswich
- Stour Estuary
- Sudbourne Park Pit
- Valley Farm Pit, Sudbourne
- Waldringfield Pit