There are 23 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the county of the
West MidlandsThe West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire...
,
EnglandEngland 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 and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. , of the 23 designated sites, 11 have been designated due to their biological interest, 9 due to their geological interest, and 3 for both. In England, the body responsible for designating SSSIs is
Natural EnglandNatural England is a non-departmental public body of the UK government. It was formed on 1 October 2006. It is 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...
, which chooses sites because of their
floraPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The scientific study of plants, known as botany, has identified about 350,000 extant species of plants, defined as seed plants,...
,
faunaFauna is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g...
,
geologicalGeology is the science and study of the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth. The field of geology encompasses the study of the composition, structure, physical properties, dynamics, and history of Earth materials, and the processes by which they are formed, moved, and changed...
or physiographical features. Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from
English NatureEnglish Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the
Countryside AgencyThe Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. The Agency was formed by merging the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission...
and the
Rural Development ServiceThe Rural Development Service was formerly part of the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . It ceased to exist on 1 October 2006 following the creation of Natural England.- History :...
.
There are 23 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the county of the
West MidlandsThe West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire...
,
EnglandEngland 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 and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. , of the 23 designated sites, 11 have been designated due to their biological interest, 9 due to their geological interest, and 3 for both. In England, the body responsible for designating SSSIs is
Natural EnglandNatural England is a non-departmental public body of the UK government. It was formed on 1 October 2006. It is 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...
, which chooses sites because of their
floraPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The scientific study of plants, known as botany, has identified about 350,000 extant species of plants, defined as seed plants,...
,
faunaFauna is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g...
,
geologicalGeology is the science and study of the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth. The field of geology encompasses the study of the composition, structure, physical properties, dynamics, and history of Earth materials, and the processes by which they are formed, moved, and changed...
or physiographical features. Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from
English NatureEnglish Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the
Countryside AgencyThe Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. The Agency was formed by merging the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission...
and the
Rural Development ServiceThe Rural Development Service was formerly part of the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . It ceased to exist on 1 October 2006 following the creation of Natural England.- History :...
. Natural England, like its predecessor, uses the
1974-1996 county systemMetropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of subdivisions of England used for the purposes of local government outside Greater London. As originally constituted, the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties each consisted of multiple districts, had a county council and...
with each area being called an
Area of SearchAreas of Search are geographical areas used in the selection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. In England these are largely based on the 1974-1996 administrative counties , whereas in Scotland and Wales they are based around districts...
. In the West Midlands case, the Area of Search matches the county boundary.
The West Midlands is the
second largest conurbation, after
Greater LondonGreater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and thirty two London boroughs...
, with a population of over 2.6 million inhabitants. Consisting of three large cities:
WolverhamptonWolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, England. In 2004, the local government district had an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of 251,462, which makes it the 13th most populous city in England.Historically a part of...
,
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
and
CoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham with a population of 300,848...
, the county of West Midlands is also one of the most densely populated area in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. The result of this large human population is that every part of the area has been influenced by humans—often negatively—for example, the clearance of woodland to make room for agriculture. The West Midlands is an area of relatively high ground, ranging from around to above sea level, forming the
Birmingham Plateau. It is crossed by Britain's main north-south
watershedA drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
between the basins of the Rivers
SevernThe River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at . It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales. It then flows through Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, with the county towns of Shrewsbury, Worcester, and Gloucester...
and
TrentThe River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire between Biddulph and Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent is...
. The main habitat types in the area are heathland,
woodlandEcologically, a woodland is an area covered in trees, usually at low density, forming an open habitat, allowing sunlight to penetrate between the trees, and limiting shade. Woodland may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to...
and
grasslandGrasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, all of which are found in both urban and rural contexts.
Between the
West Midlands conurbationThe West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen and Sutton Coldfield in the English West Midlands.Not to be confused with the...
and
CoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham with a population of 300,848...
is a stretch of
green beltIn United Kingdom town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail...
land roughly across known as the "
Meriden GapThe Meriden Gap is a mostly rural area located in the West Midlands between Solihull and Coventry. It serves as a green belt which separates the latter from the large West Midlands conurbation, which includes Birmingham and Wolverhampton. The 'Gap' takes its name from the village central to the...
", which retains a strongly rural character, and is the site of a number of SSSIs including
Berkswell MarshBerkswell Marsh is a 7.5 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1991 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is located in the Meriden Gap which is between Birmingham and Coventry.-References:* Natural England. Retrieved on...
. A smaller green belt is located between Birmingham, Walsall and West Bromwich which includes
Sutton ParkSutton Park, in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England, is one of the largest urban parks in Europe and the largest outside a capital city; it is smaller than Richmond Park in London, but larger than the Phoenix Park in Dublin which both claim to be the largest in Europe.The Park covers...
in
Sutton ColdfieldSutton Coldfield is a town in the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham, in the northeast of the city, with a population of 105,452 recorded in the 2001 census...
. Sutton Park, an SSSI and
National Nature ReserveNational nature reserve is a United Kingdom government conservation designation for a nature reserve of national significance for biological or earth science interest....
, has an area of 900.1 hectares making it one of the largest urban parks in Europe and the largest European park outside a capital city.
Sites
| Site name |
Reason for designation |
Area |
Grid reference |
Year in which notified |
Map |
| Biological interest |
Geological interest |
Hectares |
Acres |
| Berkswell Marsh Berkswell Marsh is a 7.5 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1991 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is located in the Meriden Gap which is between Birmingham and Coventry.-References:* Natural England. Retrieved on...
|
|
|
7.5 |
18.5 |
|
1991 |
1 |
| Bickenhill Meadows Bickenhill Meadows is a 7.2 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1991 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.-References:* Natural England. Retrieved on 2008-05-28...
|
|
|
7.2 |
17.8 |
& |
1991 |
2 |
| Brewin's Canal Section Brewin's Canal Section is a 1.34 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1990 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
1.34 |
3.3 |
|
1990 |
3 |
| Bromsgrove Road Cutting Bromsgrove Road Cutting is a 0.2 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1990 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is located on the eastern edge of Halesowen.-References:...
|
|
|
0.2 |
0.5 |
|
1990 |
4 |
| Clayhanger Clayhanger Marsh is a 23.8 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is located to the north of Walsall.-References:...
|
|
|
23.8 |
58.8 |
|
1986 |
5 |
| Daw End Railway Cutting Daw End Railway Cutting is a 8.1 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
8.1 |
20.9 |
|
1986 |
6 |
| Doulton's Claypit Doulton's Claypit is a 3.3 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
3.3 |
8.2 |
|
1986 |
7 |
| Edgbaston Pool Edgbaston Pool is a Site of Special Scientific Interest located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. It is one of 23 SSSI's in the West Midlands. The site has two distinct units within it. The first is water-related and contains the seven hectare lake and the input channel of the Chad Brook as well...
|
|
|
15.6 |
38.5 |
|
1986 |
8 |
| Fens Pools Fens Pools is a 37.6 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1989under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-History:...
|
|
|
37.6 |
92.9 |
|
1989 |
9 |
| Hay Head Quarry Hay Head Quarry is a 5.8 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
5.8 |
14.3 |
|
1986 |
10 |
| Herald Way Marsh Herald Way marsh is a 10.6 hectare biological and geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1988 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust....
|
|
|
10.6 |
26.2 |
|
1988 |
11 |
| Illey Pastures Illey Pastures is a 3.5 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1989 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is close to the village of Illey.-References:...
|
|
|
3.5 |
8.6 |
|
1989 |
12 |
| Jockey Fields Jockey fields is a 18.05 hectare 44.5 acre) biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1994 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
18.05 |
44.5 |
|
1994 |
13 |
| Ketley Claypit Ketley Claypit is a 13.7 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1990 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is located in Kingswinford.-References:...
|
|
|
13.7 |
33.9 |
|
1990 |
14 |
| Monkspath Meadow Monkspath Meadow is a 1.2 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is on the south-eastern edge of Monkspath.-References:...
|
|
|
1.2 |
3.0 |
|
1986 |
15 |
| River Blythe The Blythe is a river in the English Midlands which runs from Warwickshire, through the borough of Solihull and on to Coleshill. It is fed by the River Cole and is a tributary of the Tame beside the West Midland Bird Club's Ladywalk reserve...
|
|
|
102.2 |
252.5 |
to
|
1989 |
16 |
| Stubbers Green Bog Stubbers Green Bog is a 3.0 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-See also:...
|
|
|
3.0 |
7.4 |
|
1986 |
17 |
| Sutton Park Sutton Park, in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England, is one of the largest urban parks in Europe and the largest outside a capital city; it is smaller than Richmond Park in London, but larger than the Phoenix Park in Dublin which both claim to be the largest in Europe.The Park covers...
|
|
|
866.1 |
2140.1 |
|
1987 |
18 |
| Swan Pool & The Swag Swan Pool & The Swag is a 5.7 hectare biological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
5.7 |
14.0 |
|
1986 |
19 |
| Tile Hill Wood Tile Hill Wood is a wood between Hawthorn Lane and Banner Lane in the Tile Hill area of Coventry, England. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is stewarded by the Coventry and District Natural History and Scientific Society...
|
|
|
29.4 |
72.6 |
|
1986 |
20 |
| Turner's Hill Turners Hill is the highest hill in the West Midlands conurbation of England. It is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell and rises to 269 m above sea level....
|
|
|
1.5 |
3.7 |
|
1989 |
21 |
| Webster's Claypit Webster's Claypit is a 0.3 hectare geological site of Special Scientific Interest in the West Midlands. The site was notified in 1986 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is currently managed by the Country Trust.-References:...
|
|
|
0.3 |
0.8 |
|
1986 |
22 |
| Wren's Nest Wren's Nest is a National Nature Reserve located to the north west of the town centre of Dudley, West Midlands, England.The Wren's Nest National Nature Reserve is world famous geologically for its well-preserved Silurian coral reef fossils. It was the UK's first National Nature Reserve for...
|
|
|
34.1 |
84.3 |
|
1990 |
23 |
See also