Acaster South Ings: Difference between revisions

Acaster South Ings is a {{convert|38.3|ha|acre}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI),<ref name="Citation" /> consisting of "two large alluvial flood-meadows."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Symons |first1=Bill |title=Biodiversity Action Plan 2013/2014, Table 3 national designations Vale of York |url=http://www.yorkconsort.gov.uk/documents/ycdbbiodivplan.pdf |website=Yorkconsort.gov.uk |publisher=York Consortium of Drainage Boards |date=2014|accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019 |location=Derwent House, Crockey Hill, York, YO19 4SR |page=13}}</ref> The meadows are adjacent to the [[River Ouse, Yorkshire|River Ouse]] and approximately {{convert|4|mi|km}} south of [[York]]. Such wet grasslands are considered rare in the United Kingdom due to contemporary "drainage and agricultural improvement."<ref name="Citation" >{{cite web |last1=Christian |first1=Simon |title=Designated sites citation: Acaster South Ings |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1004526.pdf |website=Designated sites Natural England |publisher=Natural England |accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019 |date=1988}}</ref><ref name="Magic Map" >{{cite web |title=Magic Map: Acaster South Ings |url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271004526%27 |website=Magic.defra.gov.uk |publisher=Natural England |accessdateaccess-date=10 December 2019}}</ref> The site is accessed on foot via a public footpath along the Ouse riverbank, from [[Acaster Malbis]] via Acaster Marine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Footpaths map of Acaster Malbis area |url=https://acastermalbis-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Acaster-Malbis-Parish-Council-map-v2.pdf |website=acastermalbis-pc.gov.uk/ |publisher=Acaster Malbis Parish Council |accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019}}</ref>

The SSSI was first [[SSSI notification|notified]] in 1988, and is classified under a wildlife enhancement scheme, due to the presence of [[grassland]]s containing rare plant and insect life.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simon |first1=Christian |title=Designated sites view: Acaster South Ings SSSI |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1004526&SiteName=acaster%20south%20ings&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |website=Designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk |publisher=Natural England |accessdateaccess-date=10 December 2019 |date=1 May 1988}}</ref> It is one of nine wildlife SSSIs in the Greater York area, the other designated sites being [[Strensall|Strensall Common]], [[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire|Heslington Tilmire]], [[Askham Bog]], [[Fulford, North Yorkshire|Fulford Ings]], [[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire|Naburn Marsh]], [[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire|Church Ings]], [[Derwent Ings]] and [[River Derwent, Yorkshire|River Derwent]].<ref name="Review of Wildlife" >{{cite web |last1=Hammond |first1=Martin |title=City of York bioversity audit 20107.1.: Review of wildlife sites in the city of York |url=http://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s46232/bio%2520Audit%2520Review%25202010%2520with%2520appendices%25203%2520-%2520online%2520only.pdf |website=Democracy.york.co.uk |publisher=City of York Council |accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019 |page=43 |date=2010}}</ref> It is one of four riverside [[hay|hay meadow]] SSSIs listed by the [[Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust]], alongside [[Clifton, Rawcliffe and Poppleton Ings|Clifton Ings and Rawlcliffe Meadows]], Fulford Ings and Naburn Marsh.<ref>{{cite web |title=About river and catchment |url=http://www.yorkshiredalesriverstrust.com/your-rivers/river-ouse/ |website=Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust |publisher=Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust |accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019 |date=2014}}</ref>

There are grasses such as [[Sanguisorba officinalis|great burnet]], [[FestucaDactylis rubraglomerata|red fescuecock's-foot]], [[Agrostis stolonifera|creeping bent]], [[Alopecurus pratensis|meadow foxtail]], [[Holcus lanatus|Yorkshire fog]] and [[Cynosurus cristatus|crested dog's tail]].<ref name="Citation" />

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Flowering plants covering the flood meadow include [[LotusLathyrus corniculatuspratensis|bird'smeadow foot trefoilvetchling]], [[Leucanthemum vulgare|ox eye daisy]], [[Rumex acetosa|common sorrel]], [[Trifolium pratense|red clover]], [[CentaureaCirsium nigraarvense|commoncreeping knapweedthistle]], [[Filipendula ulmaria|meadowsweet]], [[Plantago lanceolata|ribwort plantain]] and [[Ranunculus acris|meadow buttercup]]. There are "distinct stands throughout the grassland" of [[Polygonum bistorta|common bistort]], and some areas which contain [[Thalictrum flavum|common meadow rue]], and [[Silaum silaus|pepper saxifrage]].<ref name="Citation" />

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The site is protected, by earth [[levee|dykes]], from potential flooding from the adjacent River Ouse. These dykes provide plant habitat which is drier than the flood meadows. Some plants which prefer this drier habitat are [[Geranium pratense|meadow cranesbill]], [[Cerastium arvense|field mouse ear]] and [[Campanula glomerata|clustered bellfowerbellflower]]. Along the riverside are trees and shrubs such as [[Salix viminalis|osier]] and [[Crataegus monogyna|hawthorn]], and plants taller than those in the meadows, including [[Tanacetum vulgare|tansy]], [[Petasites hybridus|butterbur]], [[Artemisia vulgaris|common mugwort]], [[Phalaris arundinacea|reed canary grass]] and [[Epilobium hirsutum|great willowherb]].<ref name="Citation" />

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AtlasAcaster roslinSouth plIngs Bodziszek2021-07-08 łąkowy 7143 7071(3).jpg|Meadow cranesbill at Acaster South Ings

Acaster South Ings 9 December 2019 (12).JPG|Osiers at Acasterthe South Ingssite

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There are two beetles which are protected here. The rare [[tansy beetle]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.nbn.org.uk/Taxa/NBNSYS0000011153 |title=Chrysolina graminis (Linnaeus, 1758) [Tansy Beetle] |publisher=Nationally Biodiversity Network |date=2012–2013 |access-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref> feeds on the leaves of the tansy plant, and ''[[Aphthona nigriceps]]'' (a [[Aphthona|flea beetle]]) lives on meadow cranesbill.<ref name="Citation" />{{refn|An image of ''Aphthona nigriceps'' can be seen [https://content.eol.org/data/media/81/78/00/542.8851238187.jpg here], and a description of it is [https://www.coleoptera.org.uk/species/aphthona-nigriceps here].|group=nb}} Other insects here are scarab beetle ''[[Hoplia philanthus]]'', [[Rhagonycha fulva|red soldier beetle]], [[Brassicogethes aeneus|pollen beetle]] and plant bug ''[[Leptoterna flavilabris]]''. The [[Eurasian curlew|curlew]], a wading bird, breeds here. This is "one of very few suitable breeding areas for waders" in the [[Vale of York]], so dog walkers are advised to keep dogs on leads during the spring breeding season.<ref name="Citation" />{{refn|Natural England's notice on the site's entrance gate requests visitors to keep dogs on the lead, and to keep to the footpath on the dyke along the riverside.|group=nb}}

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TansyAcaster beetleSouth 2Ings 8 July 2021 (96).pngJPG|Tansy beetle at Acaster South Ings

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"Active management" is required, to conserve the above flora and fauna.<ref name="Management" >{{cite web |title=Views about management |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/VAM/1004526.pdf |website=Designated sites Natural England |publisher=Natural England |accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019 |date=1988}}</ref> Farming practices for the protection of the above species are: "continuation of traditional management for [[hay|haycropping]] followed by aftermath grazing in late summer to early autumn."<ref name="Citation" /> To prevent tall growth and to avoid build-up of decayed vegetation, the fields are cut or mowed in early July after the curlews have bred and the protected plants have [[Seed|set seed]]. Grazing animals are removed in autumn. There is "regular and careful maintenance of surface drainage including ditches and drains."<ref name="Management" /> The condition of the site is described by [[Natural England]] as "unfavourable - recovering."<ref>{{cite web |title=Designated sites view: Acaster South Ings SSSI |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteUnitList.aspx?SiteCode=S1004526&SiteName=acaster%20south%20ings&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |website=Designated sites Natural England |publisher=Natural England |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=1988}}</ref> The unfavourable condition was specified as "unfavourable [[Real estate development|development]]" in [[Hansard]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hansard: Sites of Special Scientific Interest |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo040901/text/40901w38.htm |website=www.parliament.uk |publisher=House of Commons and House of Lords |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=1 September 2004}}</ref>

In 2018 the company Renewables First assessed the area for potential effects of the proposed [[Naburn]] [[Weir]] [[Hydroelectricity|Hydroelectric]] Project. The assessment document concluded that the development was "not expected to have an adverse impact on the nearby SSSIs."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clutterbuck |first1=Kelly |title=Naburn Weir Hydroelectric Project. Water Framework Directive Assessment. 3.28. Biodiversity and fish passage |url=https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ch6HFdC08g0J:https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/h2o-power-ltd-29581/supporting_documents/Water%2520Framework%2520Directive%2520Assessment.pdf+&cd=25&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk |website=Cached |publisher=Renewables First |accessdateaccess-date=12 December 2019 |page=10 |date=September 2018}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}</ref>

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