Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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Location | Norfolk |
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Grid reference | TF 673 288 [1] |
Interest | Biological Geological |
Area | 159.1 hectares (393 acres) [1] |
Notification | 1986 [1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Designations | |
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Official name | Dersingham Bog |
Designated | 12 September 1995 |
Reference no. | 751 [2] |
Dersingham Bog is a 159.1-hectare (393-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Norfolk, England. [1] [3] It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2, [4] a National Nature Reserve [5] and a Ramsar site [2] It is part of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, [6] and the Roydon Common & Dersingham Bog Special Area of Conservation [7] Part of it is a Geological Conservation Review site. [8]
Dersingham Bog is near the West Norfolk Villages of Dersingham and Wolferton and is one of the few remaining wilderness areas left in this part of Norfolk which is otherwise dominated by intensive agriculture. The Reserve is part of the Sandringham Royal Estate.
The site lies on the north west Norfolk Greensand escarpment. It is notable for a rock dating from the Lower Cretaceous Period known as 'Dersingham Formation' which has been important in understanding the geology of the region.
Dersingham Bog contains three distinct habitats, mire, heath and woodland. Acid valley mire is found over much of the low-lying parts of the reserve where the ground is waterlogged for most of the year. Dersingham Bog contains the largest remaining example of this kind of habitat in East Anglia.
The mire's make-up of wet acid peat makes it ideal conditions for some rare and diverse species of plants such as bog asphodels ( Narthecium ossifragum ), round-leaved sundew ( Drosera rotundifolia ), white beaked sedge ( Rhynchospora alba ) and cranberry. The mire also has some rare insects such as the black darter dragonfly ( Sympetrum danae ) and moths such as the light knot grass ( Acronicta menyanthidis ). In the dark it is possible to see glowworms. The mire lies on shallow peat and is bordered on one side by a steep escarpment containing large areas of dry heath and woodland which marks the edge of an ancient coastline. The woodland at Dersingham is quite recent and contains Scots pine, oak, sweet chestnut, sycamore and birch. The woodland glades attract birds such as redpoll, crossbill, long-eared owl, tree pipit, woodlark, shelduck, nightjar, and sparrowhawk.
All of Dersingham is open access and there are many well-marked routes to follow which provide easy access for visitors to explore this wilderness. There are car parks at Wolferton and Scissors Cross, payment via RingGo app.
The reserve is in the management of Natural England.
Dersingham Bog is the location of a bench which commemorates the life of American singer-songwriter and environmentalist John Denver. It was placed there by the Friends of John Denver UK in September 2006.
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) is one of 46 wildlife trusts covering Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Alderney. Founded in 1926, it is the oldest of all the trusts. It has over 35,500 members and eight local groups and it manages more than fifty nature reserves and other protected sites. It also gives conservation advice to individuals and organisations, provides educational services to young people on field trips and organises entertainment and information events at nature reserves. The NWT reserves include twenty-six Sites of Special Scientific Interests, nine national nature reserves, twelve Nature Conservation Review sites, sixteen Special Areas of Conservation, twelve Special Protection Areas, eleven Ramsar sites, two local nature reserves, four Geological Conservation Review sites and five which are in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Hickling Broad is a 600-hectare (1,500-acre) nature reserve 4 km south-east of Stalham, north-east of Norwich in Norfolk. It is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. It is a National Nature Reserve and part of the Upper Thurne Broads and Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest and Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. It is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and part of the Broadland Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and The Broads Special Area of Conservation.
Redgrave and Lopham Fens is a 127 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Thelnetham in Suffolk and Diss in Norfolk. It is a national nature reserve, a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, and part of the Waveney and Little Ouse Valley Fens Special Area of Conservation. It is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) describes itself as the county's "nature charity – the only organisation dedicated wholly to safeguarding Suffolk's wildlife and countryside." It is a registered charity, and its headquarters is at Brooke House in Ashbocking, near Ipswich. It was founded in 1961, and is one of 46 wildlife trusts covering the Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As of March 2017, it has 13,200 members, and it manages 3,120 hectares of land in 60 nature reserves, most of which are open to the public. It had an income of £3.9 million in the year to 31 March 2017.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is a Wildlife Trust with 27,000 members across the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, England.
Ebblake Bog is a 11.3-hectare (28-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Dorset and Hampshire, located west of Ringwood. It is part of Dorset Heathlands Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and of Dorset Heaths Special Area of Conservation,
Alde–Ore Estuary is a 2,534 hectare biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which stretches along the Suffolk coast between Aldeburgh and Bawdsey, and also includes parts of the Alde, Ore and Butley Rivers. It is in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is a Grade I Nature Conservation Review site, a Special Area of Conservation, a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, and a Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. It includes two Geological Conservation Review sites, "Orfordness and Shingle Street" and "The Cliff, Gedgrave", and two nature reserves managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Alde Mudflats and Simpson's Saltings. The coastal part of the site is Orfordness-Havergate, a National Nature Reserve, and Orford Ness is managed by the National Trust, while Havergate Island is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Alde Mudflats is a 22 hectare nature reserve west of Iken in Suffolk. It is owned by the Crown Estate and managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. It is in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and part of the Alde-Ore Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar internationally important wetland site, Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, and Grade I Nature Conservation Review site,
Salthouse Marshes is a 66-hectare (160-acre) nature reserve west of Sheringham in Norfolk. It is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. It is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest, Geological Conservation Review site, Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. Ramsar site, Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Area. It is also in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Roydon Common is a 194.9-hectare (482-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of King's Lynn in Norfolk. It is also a Grade I Nature Conservation Review site, a National Nature Reserve and a Ramsar site. It is part of the Roydon Common and Dersingham Bog Special Area of Conservation and Roydon Common and Grimston Warren nature reserve, which is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust,
Holme Dunes is a 192-hectare (470-acre) nature reserve near Holme-next-the-Sea in Norfolk. It is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, and is a National Nature Reserve. It is part of the North Norfolk Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest, Geological Conservation Review site, Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, Ramsar site, Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Area. It is also in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Bure Broads and Marshes is a 741.1-hectare (1,831-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Norwich in Norfolk. Most of it is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I and National Nature Reserve. Two areas are nature reserves managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Cockshoot Broad and Ranworth Broad. It is part of the Broadland Ramsar site and Special Protection Area and The Broads Special Area of Conservation,
Morston Cliff is a 1-hectare (2.5-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. It is part of Blakeney National Nature Reserve, which is managed by the National Trust, and of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Sheringham and Beeston Regis Commons is a 24.9-hectare (62-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Sheringham in Norfolk. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, and part of the Norfolk Valley Fens Special Area of Conservation. and Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Upper Thurne Broads and Marshes is a 1,185.9-hectare (2,930-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Part of it is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, and it is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is part of the Broadland Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and The Broads Special Area of Conservation. Two areas, Hickling Broad and Martham Broad, are national nature reserves managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
Winterton-Horsey Dunes is a 427-hectare (1,060-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. It is a Special Area of Conservation and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. Winterton Dunes is a National Nature Reserve Winterton Ness is a Geological Conservation Review site. The whole site is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Wiveton Downs is a 28.9-hectare (71-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Wiveton, west of Sheringham in the English county of Norfolk. Part of it is a Geological Conservation Review site, and an area of 6.5-hectare (16-acre) is a Local Nature Reserve. It is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Yare Broads and Marshes is a 744.5-hectare (1,840-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Norwich in Norfolk, England. Part of the site, is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I and most of it is in the Mid-Yare National Nature Reserve. It is part of the Broadland Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and The Broads Special Area of Conservation. Two ares are Royal Society for the Protection of Birds nature reserves, Strumpshaw Fen and Surlingham Church Marsh.
Coordinates: 52°50′N0°29′E / 52.83°N 0.48°E
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