List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Dorset

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This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the county of Dorset, England, United Kingdom. In England the body responsible for designating SSSIs is Natural England, which chooses a site because of its fauna, flora, geological or physiographical features. Natural England uses Dorset's borders to mark one of its Areas of Search. , there are 139 sites designated in this Area of Search. There are 20 sites with a purely geological interest, and 103 listed for biological interest. A further 16 sites are designated for both reasons.

Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from English Nature in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service. Natural England, like its predecessor, uses the 1974–1996 county system and as such the same approach is followed here. The data in the table is taken from Natural England in the form of citation sheets for each SSSI, and the County Background Datasheet for Dorset.Natural England County Background datasheet for Dorset SSSIs Accessed 6 Sept 2012

For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search.

Sites

Site nameReason for designationAreaCoordinates & Grid refYear in which notifiedOther designationsMap & CitationBiological interestGeological interestHectaresAcres Abbotsbury Blind Lane0.20.5 1977AONB, GCR, HC Abbotsbury Castle34.986.2 1984AONB, HC Arne557.61,377.9 1986AONB, SPA, GCR, NNR, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Alder Hills5.213 1984 Aunt Mary's Bottom8.220.3 1991AONB, SAC River Avon System475.91,176.1 1996NCR, SAC Avon Valley (Bickton To Christchurch)1,403.83,468.9 1993SPA, ESA, WT, NCR, Ramsar site River Axe, Devon69.5171.8 1999AONB, GCR, SAC Babylon Hill1.12.7 1986GCR Batcombe Down18.545.7 1977AONB Belle Vue Quarry2.66.4 1952AONB, NT Bere Stream10.927.0 1977 Black Hill Down59.6147.2 1977AONB, SAC Black Hill Heath70.5174.3 1989SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Blackdown (Hardy Monument)21.854.0 1989AONB, GCR, NT Blackmore Vale Commons and Moors299.3739.7 2012Common land, SAC Blandford Camp28.770.9 1994AONB Blashenwell Farm Pit11.328.0 1954AONB, GCR Blue Pool And Norden Heaths112.5278.0 1985AONB, SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Boulsbury Wood119.8295.9 1983 Bourne Valley72.8180.0 1995SAM, SPA, LNR, WT, Ramsar site, SAC Bracket's Coppice And Ryewater Farm53.8132.8 1984AONB, SAC Bradford Abbas Railway Cutting1.43.4 1990GCR Breach Fields11.428.2 1991 Brenscombe Heath34.885.9 1985AONB, HC, Ramsar site, SAC Bryanston0.30.7 1977AONB Bugden's Copse And Meadows7.618.7 1990LNR Burton Bradstock0.10.2 1986AONB, GCR, HC Canford Heath413.11,020.7 1985SAM, SPA, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Chalbury Hill And Quarry12.029.6 1984AONB, GCR Chesil & The Fleet983.12,429.4 1986AONB, GCR, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Christchurch Harbour352.1870.2 1986SAM, GCR, LNR, SAC Conegar Road Cutting0.20.4 1996AONB Corfe & Barrow Hills101.6251.1 1986SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Corfe Common91.0224.8 1984AONB, NT, Ramsar site, SAC Corfe Meadows18.144.8 1987AONB, HC Corfe Mullen Pastures11.929.4 1994Ramsar site, SAC Corton Cutting0.20.6 1997AONB, GCR Court Farm, Sydling83.2205.5 1987AONB, SAC Cranborne Common133.3329.4 1985AONB, SPA, WT, Ramsar site, SAC Creech Grange<0.10.1 1986AONB, NCR Crookhill Brick Pit4.711.6 2003GCR, HC Cull-peppers Dish0.82.1 1989GCR Drakenorth26.264.8 1986AONB East Coppice4.711.7 1987 Ebblake Bog11.428.2 1985SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Eggardon Hill & Luccas Farm144.4356.7 1986AONB, NT, NCR Ferndown Common64.4159.1 1984SPA, SAC Fontmell And Melbury Downs263.1650.1 1987AONB, NT, SAC Frogden Quarry0.20.5 1986GCR River Frome151.5374.2 1998SAM, AONB, WT, Ramsar site Frome St Quintin32.780.7 1991AONB, SAC Giant Hill84.1207.8 1985AONB, NT, SAC Goathill Quarry0.30.7 1986GCR Halfway House Quarry0.92.1 1986GCR Ham Common32.981.4 1987SPA, GCR, LNR, MOD, Ramsar site, SAC Handcocks Bottom54.4134.5 1988AONB Hartland Moor301.3744.5 1986AONB, SPA, NNR, NT, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Haydon And Askerswell Downs107.4265.4 1985AONB, NCR Highcliffe To Milford Cliffs110.1272.1 1991GCR Higher Houghton145.0358.4 1984SAM, AONB, ESA, NCR Hod And Hambledon Hills101.4250.5 1986AONB, NNR, NT, NCR Hog Cliff85.4211.1 1985AONB, NNR, SAC Holnest54.9135.8 2004SAC Holt And West Moors Heaths767.01,895.2 1988SPA, MOD, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Holton And Sandford Heaths277.2684.9 1997SPA, NNR, Ramsar site, SAC, Holway Hill Quarry0.10.3 1998 Horn Park Quarry2.76.6 1986AONB, GCR, NNR Horton Common20.149.5 1984SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Hurn Common83.4206.1 1986CP, SPA, WT, MOD, SAC, Lambert's Castle109.2269.9 1989AONB Langford Meadow7.819.2 1985AONB Lions Hill43.4107.2 1985SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Lodmoor74.9185.1 1985RSPB Lorton21.352.7 1987 Low's Hill Quarry0.81.9 1989GCR Lulworth Park & Lake46.9115.8 1988AONB Luscombe Valley58.0143.2 1996LNR Lyscombe And Highdon82.9204.9 1986SAM, AONB, ESA Mapperton And Poorton Vales85.2210.6 1992AONB, SAC Martin And Tidpit Downs367.5908.2 1987SAM, AONB, NNR, NCR Melbury Park259.4640.9 1985AONB, NCR The Moors157.9390.1 1985AONB, SPA, HC, Ramsar site, SAC Moors River System291.9721.3 1999AONB, CP, WT, NCR Morcombelake23.056.7 1991AONB, HC Morden Bog And Hyde Heath659.91,630.6 1996SAM, SPA, NNR, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Nicodemus Heights7.919.5 1999SAC Oakers Bog29.873.7 1988SPA, GCR, Ramsar site, SAC Oakers Wood47.2116.5 1984 Oakhills Coppice14.435.6 1990AONB Parley Common163.9405.1 1984SPA, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC, Peashill Quarry0.41.1 1989AONB, GCR Pentridge Down62.3154.0 1996AONB Piddles Wood73.1180.5 1985WT Pitcombe Down13.132.4 1985AONB Poole Bay Cliffs12.330.4 1989GCR Poole Harbour2,268.95,606.6 1990AONB, SPA, NT, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Isle of Portland352.1869.9 1987GCR, SAC Portland Harbour Shore28.169.4 1987Crown estate, GCR, SAC Povington And Grange Heaths1,217.13,007.5 1986AONB, SPA, MOD, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Powerstock Common And Wytherston Farm161.7399.5 1900AONB, WT, SAC, Poxwell0.41.1 1998AONB Purbeck Ridge (East)143.6354.8 1999AONB, GCR, HC, SAC Purbeck Ridge (West)144.7357.5 1986AONB Purewell Meadows12.931.8 1985 Radipole Lake96.0237.1 1985RSPB Rempstone Heaths170.0420.0 1987AONB, SPA, HC, Ramsar site, SAC Sandford Lane Quarry0.81.9 1990GCR Shillingstone Quarry8.220.3 1995AONB Slop Bog And Uddens Heath43.9108.5 1985SPA, Ramsar site, SAC South Dorset Coast1,591.73,933.1 1986AONB, CP, GCR, HC, WT, NT, NCR, SAC St Catherine's Hill, Dorset St Leonards And St Ives Heaths529.91,309.4 1999SAM, CP, SPA, WT, MOD, Ramsar site, SAC, Stoborough & Creech Heaths338.0835.2 1986AONB, SPA, NNR, Ramsar site, SAC Stokeford Heaths177.3438.0 1995SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Studland and Godlingston Heath NNR757.81,872.6 1986AONB, SPA, GCR, NNR, NT, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Studland Cliffs21.152.2 1986AONB, GCR, NT, SAC Sutton Combe16.741.2 1986AONB Sutton Meadows5.012.3 1985AONB, WT Sydling Valley Downs74.0182.8 1985AONB, SAC Thrasher's Heath14.836.6 1984AONB, HC, Ramsar site, SAC Toller Porcorum178.5441.0 1986AONB, SAC Town Common256.0632.6 1994SPA, GCR, WT, Ramsar site, SAC Townsend13.633.6 1986AONB, WT, SAC Trill Quarry1.43.5 1989GCR Turbary And Kinson Commons36.289.3 1988SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Turners Puddle Heath391.0966.2 1990SPA, Ramsar site, SAC Upton Heath218.9540.9 1990SPA, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Upwey Quarries And Bincombe Down6.516.0 1992AONB, GCR Valley Of Stones80.4198.7 1996SAM, AONB, GCR, NNR Verwood Heaths27.868.7 1985SPA, LNR, Ramsar site, SAC Wareham Common17.543.3 1992 Wareham Meadows210.9521.1 1987AONB, SPA, HC, Ramsar site, SAC Warmwell Heath55.4137.0 1987SPA, Ramsar site, SAC West Dorset Coast598.51,478.9 1991AONB, GCR, NT, SAC Whetley Meadows8.119.9 1985AONB White Horse Hill60.0148.3 1991AONB Winfrith Heath288.9713.8 1996SPA, WT, NCR, Ramsar site, SAC Woolcombe18.144.8 1986AONB, SAC Wootton Fitzpaine9.623.8 1987AONB, HC Worgret Heath8.320.6 1987SPA, SAC

Notes

Data rounded to one decimal place. Grid reference is based on the British national grid reference system, also known as OSGB36, and is the system used by the Ordnance Survey. Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by English Nature.

References