Thrislington Plantation
1992 (as NNR)
Thrislington Plantation is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a national nature reserve in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. It is situated about 1 km east of Ferryhill, between the East Coast Main Line railway and the A1(M) road.
The site has one of the most important expanses of primary magnesian limestone grassland in Great Britain. In particular, it has the largest area of the grassland type which is characterised by blue moor-grass, Sesleria albicans, and small scabious, Scabiosa columbaria. [1]
The eastern part of the site is undisturbed grassland which, as well as species commonly associated with magnesian limestone, has a small population of the locally rare mountain everlasting, Antennaria dioica, and good populations of dark-red helleborine, Epipactis atrorubens, and perennial flax, Linum perenne subsp. anglicum, both of which are nationally scarce.
The western part of the site has been disturbed by quarrying and the vegetation here consists of primary turf that was translocated between 1982 and 1990. Although it remains rich in herbs, the characteristic features of magnesian limestone grassland were lost during the translocation: blue moor-grass is uncommon, while coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara, and field sow-thistle, Sonchus arvensis, which entered the grassland during translocation, persist.
The area supports a diverse invertebrate fauna, which includes the nationally rare least minor moth, Photedes captiuncula, the nationally notable Durham argus butterfly, Aricia artaxerxes salmacis, and the common glow-worm, Lampyris noctiluca.[1]
Landfill
The adjacent quarry is destined to become a landfill site.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Thrislington Plantation : Reasons for SSSI status" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
- ^ "4 Decisions on Strategic Sites Proposed in the Core Strategy Issues". Durham County Council. July 2011. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- v
- t
- e
- Backstone Bank and Baal Hill Woods
- Baldersdale Woodlands
- Bishop Middleham Quarry
- Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells
- Botany Hill
- Bowes Moor
- Bowlees and Friar House Meadows
- Brasside Pond
- Brignall Banks
- Burnhope Burn
- Butterby Oxbow
- Cassop Vale
- Castle Eden Dene
- Causey Bank Mires
- Charity Land
- Close House Mine
- Cornriggs Meadows
- Cotherstone Moor
- Crag Gill
- Crime Rigg and Sherburn Hill Quarries
- Dabble Bank
- Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine
- Durham Coast
- Fairy Holes Cave
- Far High House Meadows
- Fishburn Grassland
- Foster's Hush
- Frog Wood Bog
- God's Bridge
- Grains o' th' Beck Meadows
- Green Croft and Langley Moor
- Greenfoot Quarry
- Hannah's Meadows
- Hawthorn Dene
- Hawthorn Quarry
- Hell Kettles
- Hesledon Moor East
- Hesledon Moor West
- Hexhamshire Moors
- Hisehope Burn Valley
- Hulam Fen
- Hunder Beck Juniper
- Kilmond Scar
- Low Redford Meadows
- Lune Forest
- Mere Beck Meadows
- Middle Crossthwaite
- Middle Side and Stonygill Meadows
- Middleton Quarry
- Middridge Quarry
- Moorhouse and Cross Fell
- Muggleswick, Stanhope and Edmundbyers Commons and Blanchland Moor
- Neasham Fen
- Newton Ketton Meadow
- Old Moss Lead Vein
- Park End Wood
- Pig Hill
- Pike Whin Bog
- Pittington Hill
- Pow Hill Bog
- Quarrington Hill Grasslands
- Railway Stell West
- Raisby Hill Grassland
- Raisby Hill Quarry
- Redcar Field
- Rigg Farm and Stake Hill Meadows
- Rogerley Quarry
- Sherburn Hill
- Shipley and Great Woods
- Sleightholme Beck Gorge – The Troughs
- Slit Woods
- Stony Cut, Cold Hesledon
- Teesdale Allotments
- The Bottoms
- The Carrs
- Thrislington Plantation
- Town Kelloe Bank
- Trimdon Limestone Quarry
- Tuthill Quarry
- Upper Teesdale
- Waldridge Fell
- West Newlandside Meadows
- West Park Meadows
- West Rigg Open Cutting
- Westernhope Burn Wood
- Wingate Quarry
- Witton-le-Wear
- Yoden Village Quarry
- Neighbouring areas
- Cleveland
- Northumberland
- Tyne and Wear