Nature Conservation Areas
Nature Conservation Areas are habitats which contribute to the biodiversity of the Doncaster Countryside. From a definition set by Kaplan, Nature Conservation Areas are “Land, Water and geological features which have been naturally colonised by plants and animals and which are accessible on foot”.
Definitions of Natural Greenspace includes:
- Site awaiting development, which have spontaneously colonised by assemblages of plants and animals.
- Land alongside transport corridors, which are both informally planted and have spontaneous assemblages of plants and animals.
- Land which could be known as “Encapsulated Countryside” which contain a variety of habitats (heath, woodland, scrub etc.) and which support “wild” species of plants and animals through appropriate management. (Sandall Beat, Shaw Wood, Highfields C.P.).
- Ponds, ditches, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
- Less intensively managed areas of school grounds, parks, golf courses and churchyards.
- Incidental land small in size but rich in wildlife. (This could amount to anything - even a stone wall with specialist plants growing on it or wildlife living in it).
- Allotments, Orchards and Gardens.
There is a close relationship between the Nature Conservation Areas and Woodland Areas. It should be noted that some of the Council’s most significant Nature Conservation Areas are woodlands. A prime example is Sandall Beat Wood.
Doncasters publicly accessible Nature Conservation sites are listed in the table attached.
More Information on Nature Conservation Areas can be found in The Greenspace Strategy for Doncaster (see attached pdf in the left hand menu).
