Orton Pit

Last updated
Orton Pit
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Orton Pit 9.jpg
Location Cambridgeshire
Grid reference TL 162 941 [1]
InterestBiological
Area145.8 hectares [1]
Notification 2004 [1]
Location map Magic Map

Orton Pit is a 145.8-hectare (360-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern outskirts of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. [1] [2] It is also a Special Area of Conservation [3]

This extensive area of disused brick clay workings has the largest known population in Britain of great crested newts. There are ten species of stonewort, including chara canescens, which was previously thought to be extinct in Britain, and four other nationally rare species. The habitats are diverse, with ponds, scrub and rough grassland. [4]

The site is private land with no public access, apart from a small wood in the north-east corner, north of Guelder Road and Ewood Drive.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nene Washes</span> Wetland in Cambridgeshire, England

Nene Washes is a 1,522-hectare (3,760-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the bank of the River Nene east of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, England. It is also a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area and a Nature Conservation Review site. An area of 280 hectares is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The total area of the Ramsar site is 1,517 hectares.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ketton Quarries</span>

Ketton Quarries is a 115.6-hectare (286-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Ketton in Rutland. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and an area of 27.5 hectares is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hales and Shadwell Woods</span> Nature reserve in Essex, England

Hales and Shadwell Woods is a 15.4-hectare (38-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Saffron Walden in Essex. Shadwell Wood has an area of 7.1 hectares and it is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. Hales Wood is a National Nature Reserve, and it is listed in the Nature Conservation Review.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eye Gravel Pit</span> Geological site

Eye Gravel Pit is a 0.4-hectare (0.99-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Eye Green in Cambridgeshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and part of it overlaps Eye Green Local Nature Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upware Bridge Pit North</span>

Upware Bridge Pit North is a 2.5-hectare (6.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest northwest of Wicken in Cambridgeshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upware North Pit</span>

Upware North Pit is a 1.1-hectare (2.7-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Wicken in Cambridgeshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upware South Pit</span>

Upware South Pit is a 1.1-hectare (2.7-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) north of Upware in Cambridgeshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ely Pits and Meadows</span>

Ely Pits and Meadows is an 85.8-hectare (212-acre) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on the eastern outskirts of Ely in Cambridgeshire. It is the only SSSI in the county which is designated both for its biological and geological interest. It is also a Geological Conservation Review site, and an area of 8 hectares is the Roswell Pits nature reserve, which is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warboys Clay Pit</span> Protected area in Cambridgeshire, England

Warboys Clay Pit is a 12.6-hectare (31-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Warboys in Cambridgeshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits</span>

Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits is a 1,382.4 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in a chain of flooded gravel pits along 35 kilometres of the valley of the River Nene between Northampton and Thorpe Waterville in Northamptonshire. It is a Ramsar wetland site of international importance, a Special Protection Area under the European Communities Birds Directive and part of the Nene Valley Nature Improvement Area. It is also part of the River Nene Regional Park. Two areas are managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, Summer Leys and Titchmarsh Nature Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ditchford Lakes and Meadows</span> Nature reserve in the United Kingdom

Ditchford Lakes and Meadows is a 31.1-hectare (77-acre) nature reserve Northamptonshire. It is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is part of the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Site of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar wetland site of international importance, and Special Protection Area under the European Communities Birds Directive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson's Pits</span>

Wilson's Pits is a 32 hectare nature reserve west of Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire. It is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is part of the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Site of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar internationally important wetland site and Special Protection Area under the EC Birds Directive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crag Farm Pit, Sudbourne</span> Protected area in Suffolk, England

Crag Farm Pit, Sudbourne is a 4.8-hectare (12-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Sudbourne in Suffolk. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley Farm Pit, Sudbourne</span> Protected area in Suffolk, England

Valley Farm Pit, Sudbourne is a 0.5-hectare (1.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Orford in Suffolk. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breckland Forest</span> Protected areas in east England

Breckland Forest is an 18,126 hectare biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in many separate areas between Swaffham in Norfolk and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. It is part of the Breckland Special Protection Area under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. It contains two Geological Conservation Review sites, Beeches Pit, Icklingham and High Lodge. Barton Mills Valley is a Local Nature Reserve in the south-west corner of the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gipsy Lane Pit</span> Protected area in Leicester, England

Gipsy Lane Pit is a 0.5 hectares geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Leicester. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wells Chalk Pit</span>

Wells Chalk Pit is a 4-hectare (9.9-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the eastern outskirts of Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk. It is a Geological Conservation Review site, and it is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wealden Edge Hangers</span>

Wealden Edge Hangers is a 222.4-hectare (550-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Petersfield in Hampshire. An area of 48 hectares is Wealden Edge Hangers Local Nature Reserve and an area of 144.1 hectares is Ashford Hangers National Nature Reserve. Wealden Edge Hangers is part of the East Hampshire Hangers Special Area of Conservation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Designated Sites View: Orton Pit". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  2. "Map of Orton Pit". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  3. "Orton Pit". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  4. "Orton Pit citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2016.

52°31′55″N0°17′20″W / 52.532°N 0.289°W / 52.532; -0.289