Ripon Parks is a

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...

, or SSSI, situated north of

Ripon Ripon () is a cathedral city and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The city is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. Within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, the ...

, to the west of the

River Ure The River Ure in North Yorkshire, England, is about long from its source to the point where it becomes the River Ouse. It is the principal river of Wensleydale, which is the only major dale now named after a village rather than its river. ...

and to the east of the village of North Stainley, in

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

, England. It was once part of the land held since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

as a deer park by the

archbishops of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers the ...

(including

Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( ; – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling f ...

) and the canons of Ripon. The site was

designated Designation (from Latin ''designatio'') is the process of determining an incumbent's successor. A candidate that won an election, for example, is the ''designated'' holder of the office the candidate has been elected to, up until the candidate's ...

as an SSSI in 1983, because its varied

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

s are valued for their breeding birds,

amphibian Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniote, anamniotic, tetrapod, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class (biology), class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all Tetrapod, tetrapods, but excl ...

s and varied

flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...

. The woods here are "of note" for the parasitic flowers of common toothwort and yellow star-of-Bethlehem. A small part of the site is accessible via public footpaths; there are no public facilities or dedicated car parks. The site incorporates the High Batts Nature Reserve, which is privately run for training, recording and educational purposes, and accessible to members only, except for its annual open day. Ripon Parks is now owned by the

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

, and parts of the site are used as military training areas.

Site history

Ripon Parks forms part of a tranche of land owned by the Church since the 7th century, when the

King of Northumbria Northumbria, a kingdom of Angles (tribe), Angles, in what is now northern England and Lothian, south-east Scotland, was initially divided into two kingdoms: Bernicia and Deira. The two were first united by King Æthelfrith around the year 604, an ...

– possibly

Aldfrith Aldfrith (Early Modern Irish: ''Flann Fína mac Ossu''; Latin: ''Aldfrid'', ''Aldfridus''; died 14 December 704 or 705) was king of Northumbria from 685 until his death. He is described by early writers such as Bede, Alcuin and Stephen of Ripo ...

– gave it the Liberty of St Wilfred. Archbishop

John Kemp John Kemp ( 1380 – 22 March 1454) was a medieval English cardinal, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor of England. Biography Kemp was the son of Thomas Kempe, a gentleman of Olantigh, in the parish of Wye near Ashford, Ke ...

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

claimed the fishing rights and the

warren Warren most commonly refers to: * Warren (burrow), a network dug by rabbits * Warren (name), a given name and a surname, including lists of persons so named Warren may also refer to: Places Australia * Warren (biogeographic region) * War ...

on this land in 1439; there had already been complaints of

poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the huntin ...

there. From 1320 the park was managed by wakemen of Ripon.

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

travelled from

Bolton Castle Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle located in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England (). The nearby village of Castle Bolton takes its name from the castle. The castle is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle was d ...

Sheffield Castle Sheffield Castle was a castle in Sheffield, England, constructed at the confluence of the River Sheaf and the River Don, possibly on the site of a former Anglo-Saxon long house, and dominating the early town. A motte and bailey castle had been ...

via this park in 1569. Wolsey

From the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

, the Church maintained its hold on the land via the

archbishop of York The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers the ...

, and subsequently the canons of Ripon. In 1516 Miles Staveley and his son John became keepers of the park, which was at that time a "reserved hunting park" for

, who had by then acquired the

archbishopric In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

of York, and the bishoprics of

Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...

and

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England **County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham *Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States Durham may also refer to: Places ...

. When hunting, the archbishops originally used Horseman's Lodge, and later a summer palace, which still exists as a school at

, in a deer park called New Park. The Staveley family remained keepers of the Park until 1647, when it was

enclosed Enclosure or inclosure is a term, used in English landownership, that refers to the appropriation of "waste" or "common land", enclosing it, and by doing so depriving commoners of their traditional rights of access and usage. Agreements to enc ...

and had previously ceased to be a hunting park. Much of the land is still in the possession of the

Church Commissioners The Church Commissioners is a body which administers the property assets of the Church of England. It was established in 1948 and combined the assets of Queen Anne's Bounty, a fund dating from 1704 for the relief of poor clergy, and of the Eccle ...

, who inherited it from the Canons of Ripon. Middle Parks Farmhouse - geograph

Before enclosure, there were three hunting lodges: Chief Lodge in the south, Horseman's Lodge in the middle, and North Lodge. Enclosure divided the park into three farms, and the lodges became

farmhouse FarmHouse (FH) is a men's social fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 34 active chapters in the United States and Canada.FarmHouse Fraternity New Memb ...

s. The Horseman's Lodge, next to the old fish ponds, was renamed Middle Parks Farmhouse, and it retains a Tudor

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...

. North Parks farmhouse has been

cement render Cement render or cement plaster is the application of a mortar mix of sand and cement, (optionally lime) and water to brick, concrete, stone, or mud brick. It is often textured, colored, or painted after application. It is generally used on ...

ed, and South Parks Farmhouse was demolished in the 1970s. In 1647 a survey recorded nearly a thousand "decayed oak trees," plus

maple ''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...

hazel Hazels are plants of the genus ''Corylus'' of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family, Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K ...

, hawthorn and

ash Ash is the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash is the ...

, although by then the deer were all gone. Ripon Park was possibly once fenced in with a

palisade A palisade, sometimes called a stakewall or a paling, is typically a row of closely placed, high vertical standing tree trunks or wooden or iron stakes used as a fence for enclosure or as a defensive wall. Palisades can form a stockade. Etymo ...

or perhaps a hedge on an earthen bank. The

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

owned Ripon Parks between 1649 and 1660, then it reverted to the Church, which retained it until 1926. The southern section of Ripon Parks passed through several ownerships, and part of South Parks still belongs to Ripon City Golf Club. Along with Laver Banks and Ellington Banks, Ripon Parks is owned by the

, and these sites are known as HG Ripon Training area, commanded from Deverell Barracks. It is used for "low level infantry dry training," plus training in use of earth-moving equipment and cross-country vehicles, and in building bridges. "The habitat in all DTE North (East) training areas is carefully managed with the best interests of the flora and fauna given full consideration."

Site location and designation

Ripon Parks is a biological

(SSSI). It follows a line along the

, from just north of

, to a point just east of North Stainley. Its habitats are all river-related, and include

calcareous grassland Calcareous grassland (or alkaline grassland) is an ecosystem associated with thin basic soil, such as that on chalk and limestone downland. There are large areas of calcareous grassland in northwestern Europe, particularly areas of southern Engla ...

pasture Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Types of pasture Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, c ...

pond A pond is a small, still, land-based body of water formed by pooling inside a depression (geology), depression, either naturally or artificiality, artificially. A pond is smaller than a lake and there are no official criteria distinguishing ...

marsh In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

, scrub

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with woody plants (trees and shrubs), or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunli ...

riverbank In geography, a bank is the land alongside a body of water. Different structures are referred to as ''banks'' in different fields of geography. In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terrain alongsid ...

s and

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a strea ...

s, besides the river itself. The site was notified on 1 February 1983. All the habitats are noted for their varied flora, but all have their specialities. The "relatively undisturbed reach of river ... is important for breeding birds." The wetlands are "important for amphibians." This is a

Magnesian Limestone The Magnesian Limestone is a suite of carbonate rocks in north-east England dating from the Permian period. The outcrop stretches from Nottingham northwards through Yorkshire and into County Durham where it is exposed along the coast between Ha ...

area, with overlying

and its typical species. The woodlands are "of note" for

toothwort Toothwort is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *''Cardamine'', a genus of plants in the mustard family, Brassicaceae *'' Lathraea'', a genus of parasitic plants in the family Orobanchaceae Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a fa ...

and yellow star-of-Bethlehem. A small part of the site is accessible via public footpaths, but there are no public facilities.

High Batts Nature Reserve

High Batts Nature Reserve is a privately run study resource, and part of Ripon Parks SSSI. It is sited at the north end of Ripon Parks, between the River Ure on the east side, and Hanson's sand and gravel quarry on the west side. It has an annual Open Day, and is accessible to subscribing members, and to visitors by appointment. It includes various habitats, including meadow,

coppice Coppicing is the traditional method in woodland management of cutting down a tree to a tree stump, stump, which in many species encourages new Shoot (botany), shoots to grow from the stump or roots, thus ultimately regrowing the tree. A forest ...

bracken Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family (biology), family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that undergo alternation of generations, having both large plants that produce spores and small ...

, clearings and an orchid area, plus a stream, pond and

bird hide A bird hide (blind or bird blind in North America) is a shelter, often camouflaged, that is used to observe wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. Although hides or hunting blinds were once built chiefly as hunting aids, they are now comm ...

s. Training of members in

bird ringing Bird ringing (UK) or bird banding (US) is the attachment of a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wild bird to enable individual identification. This helps in keeping track of the movements of the bird an ...

moth trap Moth traps are devices used for capturing moths for scientific research or domestic pest control. Entomologists use moth traps to study moth populations, behavior, distribution, and role in ecosystems, contributing to biodiversity conservation ...

ping and other wildlife recording is carried out. Birds recorded at High Batts include:

marsh tit The marsh tit (''Poecile palustris'') is a Eurasian passerine bird in the tit family Paridae and genus ''Poecile'', closely related to the willow tit, Père David's and Songar tits. It is a small bird, around long and weighing , with a black ...

redpoll The redpoll (''Acanthis flammea'') is a species of small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Acanthis''. It breeds in the Arctic and north temperate Holarctic tundra and taiga. The redp ...

siskin The name siskin when referring to a bird is derived from an adaptation of the German dialect words ''sisschen'', ''zeischen'', which are diminutive forms of Middle High German (''zîsec'') and Middle Low German (''ziseke'', ''sisek'') words, wit ...

great spotted woodpecker The great spotted woodpecker (''Dendrocopos major'') is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found acros ...

redwing The redwing (''Turdus iliacus'') is a bird in the thrush family, Turdidae, native to Europe and the Palearctic, slightly smaller than the related song thrush. Taxonomy and systematics This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1 ...

goldcrest The goldcrest (''Regulus regulus'') is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colourful golden Crest (feathers), crest feathers, as well as being called the "king of the birds" in European folklore, gives rise to its Englis ...

and

kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...

. Fungi include: birch polypore, candlesnuff, dead man's fingers, jelly ear and stump puffball. There are many

bryophyte Bryophytes () are a group of embryophyte, land plants (embryophytes), sometimes treated as a taxonomic Division (taxonomy), division referred to as Bryophyta ''Sensu#Common qualifiers, sensu lato'', that contains three groups of non-vascular pla ...

s, including three which require a calcareous soil:

Entodon concinnus ''Entodon concinnus'' is a species of moss belonging to the family Entodontaceae. It has cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, a cosmopolitan distribution is the range of a taxon that extends across most or all of the surface of the E ...

, Thuidium assimile and Ditrichum gracile.

Significant site content

''Note'': Unless otherwise stated, images of flora and fauna in this article are for identification only, and the photographs were not taken at this site.

Flora

In the wetlands are narrow buckler-fern, water violet, common skullcap and marsh cincquefoil. There is also bird's eye primrose,

saw-wort ''Serratula tinctoria'', commonly known as dyer's plumeless saw-wort or saw-wort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Description Saw-wort is a spineless hairless perennial herb with wiry branched erect grooved stems. It ...

, marsh valerian ''(

Valeriana dioica ''Valeriana dioica'', the marsh valerian, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to North America, Europe and Anatolia. It is typically found in calcareous fens. It is a dioecious species, with male and female flower ...

)'', and

butterwort ''Pinguicula'', commonly known as butterworts, is a genus of carnivorous flowering plants in the family Lentibulariaceae. They use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they ...

growing around bog rush. Dryopteris.carthusiana.jpg, Narrow buckler-fern Hottonia palustris 1a.jpg, Water violet Scutellaria galericulata W.jpg, Common skullcap Comarum palustre flower kz.jpg, Marsh cincquefoil Kleine valeriaan RIMG0076.JPG, Marsh valerian ''(

)'' Primula farinosa Šobec.JPG, Bird's eye primrose On calcareous grassland over

are

felwort ''Swertia perennis'' is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names felwort and star swertia. It is native to several regions of the northern hemisphere, including much of Eurasia and western North America. It is ...

and

yellow-wort ''Blackstonia perfoliata'' or more commonly known as the yellow-wort is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae found around the Mediterranean Basin, but extending into northwestern Europe. Description Yellow-wort grows tall, w ...

, alongside the more common cowslip,

wild thyme ''Thymus serpyllum'', known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub formin ...

and

salad burnet ''Sanguisorba minor'', the salad burnet, garden burnet, small burnet, burnet (also used for ''Sanguisorba'' generally), :wiktionary:pimprenelle, pimpernelle, Toper's plant, and burnet-bloodwort, is an edible perennial plant, perennial herbaceou ...

. Gentianella amarella.jpg,

Felwort ''Swertia perennis'' is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names felwort and star swertia. It is native to several regions of the northern hemisphere, including much of Eurasia and western North America. It is ...

BLACKSTONIA PERFOLIATA - PONTS - IB-256 (Clora).JPG,

Yellow-wort ''Blackstonia perfoliata'' or more commonly known as the yellow-wort is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae found around the Mediterranean Basin, but extending into northwestern Europe. Description Yellow-wort grows tall, w ...

Gullviva.jpg, Cowslip Thymus praecox - Iceland - 2007-07-05.jpg,

Wild thyme ''Thymus serpyllum'', known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub formin ...

Sanguisorba minor W.jpg,

Salad burnet ''Sanguisorba minor'', the salad burnet, garden burnet, small burnet, burnet (also used for ''Sanguisorba'' generally), :wiktionary:pimprenelle, pimpernelle, Toper's plant, and burnet-bloodwort, is an edible perennial plant, perennial herbaceou ...

The more unusual plants on the mixed woodland floor are yellow star-of-Bethlehem. and parasitic

colonies. The more frequent herbaceous plants here are sanicle, bluebell and primrose. In the woodland

understorey In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but above ...

are

spindle Spindle may refer to: Textiles and manufacturing * Spindle (textiles), a straight spike to spin fibers into yarn * Spindle (tool), a rotating axis of a machine tool Biology * Common spindle and other species of shrubs and trees in genus ''Euonym ...

and

. The canopy is mostly made up of

field maple ''Acer campestre'', known as the field maple, is a flowering plant species in the family Sapindaceae. It is native to much of continental Europe, Britain, southwest Asia from Turkey to the Caucasus, and north Africa in the Atlas Mountains. It has ...

sycamore Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the Ancient Greek () meaning . Species of otherwise unrelated trees known as sycamore: * ''Acer pseudoplatanus'', a ...

elm Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus ''Ulmus'' in the family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical- montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ...

and

. Gagea close-up.jpg, Yellow star-of-Bethlehem Lathraea squamaria ENBLA02.jpg,

Toothwort Toothwort is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *''Cardamine'', a genus of plants in the mustard family, Brassicaceae *'' Lathraea'', a genus of parasitic plants in the family Orobanchaceae Orobanchaceae, the broomrapes, is a fa ...

Sanicula europaea 02.jpg, Sanicle Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Common Bluebell).jpg, Bluebell Prolećno cveće 3.JPG, Primrose Corylus avellana 001.jpg,

Hazel Hazels are plants of the genus ''Corylus'' of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family, Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K ...

Fauna

Birds

Along the riverside, birds found here include

oystercatcher The oystercatchers are a group of waders forming the family (biology), family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, ''Haematopus''. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and Sout ...

and

wader 245px, A flock of Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflats in order to foraging, ...

s. In December 2017, members of Harrogate and District Naturalists' Society (HDNS) recorded

yellowhammer The yellowhammer (''Emberiza citrinella'') is a passerine bird in the Emberiza, bunting family that is native to Palearctic, Eurasia and has been introduced species, introduced to New Zealand and Australia. Most European birds remain in the br ...

bullfinch Bullfinch is a name given to two groups of passerine birds. True bullfinches The true bullfinches are thick-billed finches in the passerine family Fringillidae. They comprise the genus '' Pyrrhula''. These birds are distributed across Asia and Eu ...

tree sparrow The Eurasian tree sparrow (''Passer montanus'') is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version o ...

goldfinch Goldfinch or The Goldfinch may refer to: Birds * European goldfinch, ''Carduelis carduelis'' * Some species of the genus '' Spinus'': ** American goldfinch, ''Spinus tristis'' ** Lawrence's goldfinch, ''Spinus lawrencei'' ** Lesser goldfinch, ...

curlew The curlews () are a group of nine species of birds in the genus ''Numenius'', characterised by their long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. The English name is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been infl ...

buzzard Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey. ''Buteo'' species * Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'') * Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'') * Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') * Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') * Easte ...

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...

, pintail,

goldeneye ''GoldenEye'' is a 1995 spy film, the seventeenth in the List of James Bond films, ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional Secret Intelligence Service, MI6 agent James Bond (lit ...

goosander The common merganser (North American) or goosander (Eurasian) (''Mergus merganser'') is a large sea duck of rivers and lakes in forested areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. The common merganser eats mainly fish. It nests in holes in trees. ...

wigeon The wigeons or widgeons are a group of birds, dabbling ducks currently classified in the genus ''Mareca'' along with two other species. There are three extant species of wigeon, in addition to one recently extinct species. Biology There are ...

teal alt=American teal duck (male), Green-winged teal (male) Teal is a greenish-blue color. Its name comes from that of a bird—the Eurasian teal (''Anas crecca'')—which presents a similarly colored stripe on its head. The word is often used ...

tufted duck The tufted duck (or tufted pochard) (''Aythya fuligula'') is a small diving duck with a population of nearly one million birds, found in northern Eurasia. They are partially migratory. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek , an unide ...

and a large murmuration of

starling Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine (perching) birds known for the often dark, glossy iridescent sheen of their plumage; their complex vocalizations including mimicking; and their distinctive, often elaborate swarming behavior, know ...

. Over 10,000

passed through the site in the days following 17 October 2016, and in October and November of that year 1,417 redwing were

ringed Bird ringing (UK) or bird banding (US) is the attachment of a small, individually numbered metal or plastic tag to the leg or wing of a wild bird to enable individual identification. This helps in keeping track of the movements of the bird an ...

there. Emberiza citrinella -Midtjylland, Denmark -male-8.jpg,

Flying (5554005453).jpg,

Common-Buzzard.jpg,

Peregrine Falcon from the Crossley ID Guide Britain and Ireland.jpg,

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis.jpg,

Kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...

Austernfischer Haematopus ostralegus.jpg,

Oystercatcher The oystercatchers are a group of waders forming the family (biology), family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, ''Haematopus''. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and Sout ...

Amphibians and invertebrates

In the wetlands the

great crested newt The northern crested newt, great crested newt or warty newt (''Triturus cristatus'') is a newt species native to Great Britain, northern and central continental Europe and parts of Western Siberia. It is a large newt, with females growing up to ...

and

smooth newt The smooth newt, European newt, northern smooth newt or common newt (''Lissotriton vulgaris'') is a species of newt. It is widespread in Europe and parts of Asia, and has been introduced species, introduced into Australia. Individuals are brown ...

are present. Among the wetlands

invertebrate Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''spine'' or ''backbone''), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordata, chordate s ...

s are the bug ''( Acompus rufipes)'', the saw-fly ''( Rhadinocera micans)'' and the local

weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small – less than in length – and herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They belong to several fa ...

, ''( Limnobaris pilistriata)''. Kammmolchmaennchen.jpg,

Great crested newt The northern crested newt, great crested newt or warty newt (''Triturus cristatus'') is a newt species native to Great Britain, northern and central continental Europe and parts of Western Siberia. It is a large newt, with females growing up to ...

TriturusVulgaris2-.jpg,

Smooth newt The smooth newt, European newt, northern smooth newt or common newt (''Lissotriton vulgaris'') is a species of newt. It is widespread in Europe and parts of Asia, and has been introduced species, introduced into Australia. Individuals are brown ...

Acompus rufipes.jpg, Bug ''( Acompus rufipes)'' Rhadinoceraea micans larva on Iris pseudacorus 02.jpg, Saw-fly larva ''( Rhadinocera micans)''

Maintenance

All the

s on this site should be protected from potential pollution by

pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...

and

fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...

, including that used on adjacent land. Public access and recreation should be controlled or managed on this site.

River

The general principle of management of the river is to protect the wildlife

, which consists of the water

channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Australia in Queensland and pa ...

, the

and the vegetation upon it. The channel's form, including natural obstructions such as waterfalls, should be maintained, and artificial modifications should be restored to the natural form where appropriate, to allow fish breeding and movement of wildlife. Channel vegetation should not be cut by more than 50%, to allow

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

-setting and wildlife breeding. Exposed river

sediment Sediment is a solid material that is transported to a new location where it is deposited. It occurs naturally and, through the processes of weathering and erosion, is broken down and subsequently sediment transport, transported by the action of ...

, collapsing banks and timber debris should be left undisturbed, as habitat for

s and other biota. There should be control of

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

such as

Japanese knotweed ''Reynoutria japonica'', synonyms ''Fallopia japonica'' and ''Polygonum cuspidatum'', is a species of herbaceous perennial plant in the knotweed and buckwheat family Polygonaceae. Common names include Japanese knotweed and Asian knotweed. It is ...

Himalayan balsam ''Impatiens glandulifera'', Himalayan balsam, is a large annual plant native to the Himalayas. Via human introduction it is now present across much of the Northern Hemisphere and is considered an invasive species in many areas. Uprooting or cutt ...

signal crayfish The signal crayfish (''Pacifastacus leniusculus'') is a species of crayfish indigenous to North America. Introduced to Europe in the 1960s to supplement the North European ''Astacus astacus'' fisheries, which were being damaged by crayfish plague ...

and

mink Mink are dark-colored, semiaquatic, carnivorous mammals of the genera ''Neogale'' and '' Mustela'' and part of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, otters, and ferrets. There are two extant species referred to as "mink": the A ...

. There should be prevention of

water pollution Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of Body of water, water bodies, with a negative impact on their uses. It is usually a result of human activities. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and ...

where possible, for example, chemicals including

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol P and atomic number 15. All elemental forms of phosphorus are highly Reactivity (chemistry), reactive and are therefore never found in nature. They can nevertheless be prepared ar ...

, and organic pollution, from local and upstream housing, agriculture and industry. Organic pollution should be treated before it enters the river. To prevent

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

affecting river ecology, a strip of two metres should be left unploughed along the riverbank.

Floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river. Floodplains stretch from the banks of a river channel to the base of the enclosing valley, and experience flooding during periods of high Discharge (hydrolog ...

s should be maintained as such, or restored where appropriate. Alternative water sources for the floodplain are not acceptable, because the local

ecology Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...

depends upon the river's mineral content. A variety of vegetation such as grass, fen, scrub and trees should be maintained to promote a variety of flora and fauna. Light grazing by livestock or twice-yearly cutting may be used for this purpose. Riverbank vegetation can be fenced off from livestock to avoid excessive trampling. Any woodland carr,

vernal pond Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the saf ...

and

oxbow lake An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or stream pool, pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is meander cutoff, cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. The word "oxbow" can also refer to a U-shaped bend in a river or stream, whether ...

s should be maintained to support

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

Ponds

Temporary ponds, and ponds without fish, should be maintained as they are, because they support

s and certain

aquatic plant Aquatic plants, also referred to as hydrophytes, are vascular plants and Non-vascular plant, non-vascular plants that have adapted to live in aquatic ecosystem, aquatic environments (marine ecosystem, saltwater or freshwater ecosystem, freshwater ...

s. Where there is a range of different types of ponds, these should be maintained as such to ensure biodiversity. When a pond becomes

silted up Sedimentation is the deposition of sediments. It takes place when particles in suspension settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the ...

, or choked with vegetation, it should be cleared or deepened in small sections to allow recovery at all times. Ponds should be protected from spillages,

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...

and entry of

nutrient A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...

s and

silt Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension (chemistry), suspension with water. Silt usually ...

, which would limit diversity of species, or even cause loss of most pondlife. Introduction of

coarse fish Coarse fishing (, ) is a phrase commonly used in Great Britain and Ireland. It refers to the angling for rough fish, which are fish species considered undesirable as food or game fish. Freshwater game fish are all salmonids, particularly salmon, ...

and the removal of aquatic plants should be avoided, because they disturb the natural ecology. Changes to local land use, especially where Water extraction, water abstraction is involved, should be monitored.

Grasslands

Marshy grassland should be mowed annually, to prevent a prevalence of tall rushes and grasses with dead vegetation below, because this would limit growth of more delicate plants. Annual light grazing by cattle, ponies or Hill farming, hill sheep, between late spring and early autumn, is recommended – although this should not be allowed to disturb marsh fritillary butterflies or nesting birds. A hedge and some scrub is beneficial in an around the marsh. Existing ditches and Drainage, drains should be maintained in their traditional shape and condition. Calcareous grassland is at risk of overgrowth by scrub and rank Poaceae, grass, which inhibits specialised vegetation. Light annual grazing and trampling by livestock is recommended, to promote a variety of vegetation, without overgrazing. A small amount of scrub can be permitted for nesting birds and other biota.

Scrub and woodland

Shrubland, Scrub in the UK is defined as small trees, such as juniper, rowan and hawthorn, and bushes. Scrub, and the transitional area between it and adjacent grassland, supports a diversity of species. It should be maintained such that it comprises various heights and densities of growth, with some areas cut to produce patches of grassland. Light grazing may help to manage these requirements. Fencing may be needed in some places to prevent overgrazing or to allow spread of scrub. The best way to manage woodland carr which includes ash (tree), ash, willow and alder is to leave it alone. Old trees will then fall and create glade (geography), glades, although the environment must be made safe where there is public access. If the woodland appears to be encroaching on grassland and taking its sunlight, coppicing may solve the problem.

Great crested newt

In this site it is necessary to protect the habitat of the

. They need land for feeding and hiding, and water for breeding. Breeding ponds should be unshaded, not too deep, and near other breeding ponds and suitable land. Shallow slopes will allow warming sunlight, and deeper areas will provide safe shelter. Trees, therefore, should be on the north side only, to avoid excess shadow. Newts need

cover, but no predatory fish. Late autumn and early winter are the best times for maintenance work to be done here. For foraging, newts need grassland, scrub and woodland close to the pond. They can Hibernation, hibernate in tree roots, under ancient hedges, in rubble, woodpiles and Dry stone, drystone walls. They can travel via ditches and hedges, from pond to pond, if there are no barriers.

Development and risk assessment

Assessment by Natural England

The protected habitat sets within this Upland and lowland, lowland SSSI consist of broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland, neutral and calcareous grasslands, bogs, standing open water and canals, and rivers and streams. Natural England has divided this SSSI into 17 units for assessment purposes, and all were assessed between 2010 and 2013. Six of the units were deemed to be in favourable condition: all the river and stream units (15, 16 and 17); one woodland unit (4, Fox Covert); one standing open water and canal unit (7, Black Heath ponds); one neutral grassland unit (10, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust field). Nine units were judged to be in unfavourable but recovering condition. Unit 1 (High Batts nature reserve), of Deciduous, broadleaved, Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest, mixed and yew woodland, was suffering from "insufficient natural regeneration (biology), regeneration," but was showing gradual improvement. Unit 2 (High Batts calcareous grassland), contained too much Rosa pimpinellifolia, burnet rose, but this was gradually being removed. Units 5 (Fox Covert marsh and bogs), 6 (Fox Covert neutral grassland) and 8 (Round Hill calcareous grassland), needed more scrub control and grazing than they had yet received. Woodland units 9 (Sike Wood), 12, 13 and 14 were also adjudged unfavourable but recovering, although no explanation was given. Two units were assessed as unfavourable with no change. Units 3 (woodland by Ure) and 11 (Yorkshire Wildlife Trust woodland), suffered "lack of representative ground flora" due to the

and sycamore, lack of regeneration and over-mature trees. Protection of saplings from deer-browsing was recommended.

Historical damage

In 1982, Ripon Parks had SSSI status but the designation was not yet enshrined in law due to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which allowed a three-month waiting period between designation and legal protection. This loophole meant that one calcareous grassland-and-marsh meadow on the site was Cultivator, rotovated and reseeded by a tenant farmer. The field previously had 90 different species of plants, including a large patch of marsh orchids. Reed bunting and curlew had nested there. The damage happened because, in spite of a request by the English Nature, Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), the Property Services Agency (PSA) did not inform prospective tenants of the pending SSSI designation. On 8 May 1982, the NCC informed one new tenant of his obligations of care two days after he had taken over the property, and on 10 May that tenant responded by rotovating the field.

Planning applications

In 2009 Hanson Quarry Products, who ran Ripon Quarry adjacent to Ripon, North Staining, the

, High Batts and Ripon Parks, made an application to North Yorkshire County Council to extend their works by . An environmental impact assessment was required because the extension was more than . As of 2019, Hanson has a biodiversity action plan for Ripon Quarry. In October 2016, North Yorkshire County Council published a document called ''Identification of areas of search for sand and gravel'', which is intended to provide information which will assist the local authority to plan ahead until 2030 for land use with respect to sand and gravel quarrying, and its effect on the Natural environment, environment and people. Various SSSIs, including Ripon Parks, are considered in this document.

Hunting

In 1990, the York and Bedale Hunt had a licence to hunt on

land on the Ripon Parks site. A question was asked in Parliament about it on 5 April 1990 by Mr. Meale.

Notes

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline, Ripon Parks Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 1983