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Special Areas of Conservation

Castle Eden Dene

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority Tees Valley and Durham
Centroid* NZ435397
Latitude 54.75
Longitude -1.324722222
SAC EU Code UK0012768
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 189
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Castle Eden Dene SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (1%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (5%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (50%)
  • Coniferous woodland (30%)
  • Mixed woodland (10%)
  • Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (4%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 91J0 Taxus baccata woods of the British Isles  * Priority feature

    Castle Eden Dene in north-east England represents the most extensive northerly native occurrence of yew Taxus baccata woods in the UK. Extensive yew groves are found in association with ash-elm Fraxinus-Ulmus woodland and it is the only site selected for yew woodland on magnesian limestone in north-east England.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.