| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 A water-filled dyke bisects the meadow | |
| Location | Norfolk |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TG208097 [1] |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 9.7 hectares (24 acres) [1] |
| Notification | 1986 [1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Sweetbriar Road Meadows is a 9.7-hectare (24-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Norwich in Norfolk. [1] [2]
Enclosed between Norwich's outer ring road, industrial land and lying in the floodplain of the River Wensum the site acts as a 'green wedge' extending towards the city. The site consists of a series of unimproved wet meadows with permanent water-logging which support many plant species. Three principal grassland communities are present; damp neutral grassland, marshy grassland and areas of tall fen. A number of water-filled dykes bisect the site and attract large numbers of breeding amphibians in the spring months. Large flocks of redpoll and occasionally siskin feed on the alder trees that fringe the meadows. Many other bird species including snipe find the wet fields an ideal breeding habitat. The whole site is managed on traditional lines with light pony grazing without the use of artificial fertilizers and herbicides.
In January 2022 Sweetbriar Road Meadows and the adjacent marshes making up the Sweet Briar Marshes was purchased by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation on behalf of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. [3]
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust launched an appeal to raise the money to purchase Sweet Briar Marshes from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
Its western boundary is formed by the A140 outer ring road Sweet Briar Road. Marriott's Way NCR1 lies to the north and the Riverside Walk to the south. Mile Cross Marsh together with the adjacent Sycamore Crescent Wood are known collectively as the Wensum Local Nature Reserve [4] and form the eastern boundary. The site is private land with no public access but can be viewed from public footpaths.
The Marriott's Way is a footpath, cycle-path and bridleway in north Norfolk, England, between Norwich and Aylsham via Themelthorpe. It forms part of the National Cycle Network (NCN) and the red route of Norwich's Pedalways cycle path network. It is open to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Its total length is 24.6 miles (39.5 km). It has a mixture of surfaces: tarmac, compacted gravel and earth. The name of the route originates from the chief engineer and manager of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GNJR), William Marriott, who held the position for 41 years.
Ouse Washes is a linear 2,513.6-hectare (6,211-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest stretching from near St Ives in Cambridgeshire to Downham Market in Norfolk. It is also a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a Special Protection Area for birds, a Special Area of Conservation and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. An area of 186 hectares between March and Ely is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and another area near Chatteris is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust manages another area near Welney.
Burham Marsh nature reserve is an 11 hectare tidal Reed bed on the River Medway 5 miles northwest of Maidstone. It is just east of Snodland but being on the east bank of the river it is accessed via Burham. It is part the Holborough to Wouldham Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Ingrebourne Marshes are a 74.8 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering. Ingrebourne Valley Local Nature Reserve includes a small part of the SSSI west of the River Ingrebourne. The site is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust
Acaster South Ings is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, near York, England. It consists of two alluvial flood-meadows, and was designated in 1988 because it supports diverse fauna and flora, some of which is rare in the Vale of York area. One of the rarities is the tansy beetle, which feeds on the leaves of the tansy plant.
Loughborough Meadows is a 60.5 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. An area of 35.3 hectares is managed as a nature reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Wensum Local Nature Reserve or Wensum Valley is a Local Nature Reserve in Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The reserve consists of two sites; Mile Cross Marsh52.6419°N 1.2657°E and Sycamore Crescent Wood which are linked by the Riverside Path a public footpath via the Sycamore Crescent footbridge
Sizewell Marshes form a 260-acre biological Site of Special Scientific Interest adjacent to Sizewell in Suffolk. It is in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is part of a 356-acre (144-ha) nature reserve managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust as Sizewell Belts.
Hoe Rough is a 12-hectare (30-acre) nature reserve north of Dereham in Norfolk. It is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, and is part of the Beetley and Hoe Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Long Herdon Meadow is a 4.5-hectare (11-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Marsh Gibbon in Buckinghamshire. It is part of Upper Ray Meadows nature reserve, which is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
Ulverscroft Valley is a 110.8 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Markfield in Leicestershire. The site is in five separate blocks, and two areas are nature reserves managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT). Lea Meadows is owned by the LRWT and it is also a scheduled monument. Part of Ulverscroft Nature Reserve is owned by the LRWT and part is owned by the National Trust and leased to the LRWT.
Beetley and Hoe Meadows is an 11.4-hectare (28-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Dereham in Norfolk, United Kingdom. The site is in two nearby areas, and Hoe Meadow is part of Hoe Rough nature reserve, which is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Booton Common'' is an 8.2-hectare (20-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Norwich in Norfolk. It is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and is a Special Area of Conservation
Shotesham Common is a 21.6-hectare (53-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Norwich in Norfolk.
Crostwick Marsh is an 11.6-hectare (29-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Crostwick, north of Norwich in Norfolk. It is part of the Broadland Ramsar site and Special Protection Area, and The Broads Special Area of Conservation.
Swangey Fen, Attleborough is a 48.4-hectare (120-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south-west of Attleborough in Norfolk. It is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens Special Area of Conservation.
Hollybed Farm Meadows is nature reserve of the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the village of Castlemorton, in Worcestershire, England. The habitat is grassland.