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Special Areas of Conservation

Tyne and Nent

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority Cumbria
Centroid* NY715448
Latitude 54.79694444
Longitude -2.443333333
SAC EU Code UK0030293
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 37.74
* 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 Tyne and Nent SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (14%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (57%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (1%)
  • Mixed woodland (21%)
  • Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (7%)

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

  • At this site in the north-west Pennines, Calaminarian grassland occurs in association with lead mine waste and river shingles of the rivers South Tyne and Nent. This site supports a rich metallophyte flora with substantial populations of six species of higher plant metallophytes: thrift Armeria maritima, moonwort Botrychium lunaria, Pyrenean scurvygrass Cochlearia pyrenaica, spring sandwort Minuartia verna, alpine penny-cress Thlaspi caerulescens and mountain pansy Viola lutea. The site is also of great importance for its lichen communities associated with both spoil and river shingle. A number of rare and scarce species are present, including Peltigera venosa, P. neckeri and Sarcosagium campestre var. macrosporum. The site shows the full succession from open sparsely vegetated shingle and spoil to closed turf. Transitions from Calaminarian grassland to both calcareous grassland and dry heath also occur.

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.