| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| | |
| Location | West Sussex |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SU 800 179 [1] |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 336.3 hectares (831 acres) [1] |
| Notification | 1987 [1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Harting Downs is a 336.3-hectare (831-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Midhurst in West Sussex. [1] [2] It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I [3] and an area of 206.6 hectares (511 acres) is a Local Nature Reserve which is owned and managed by the National Trust. [4] [5] [6]
This site consists of several parallel valleys on the steep slope of the South Downs. Habitats are chalk grassland, which is being invaded by scrub, together with areas of long-established woodland. The site is important for insects, with a nationally rare snail, Helicondonta obvoluta , two uncommon moths, the wood tiger and the maple prominent, and many rove beetles. [7]