Nidderdale AONB has a wealth of wildlife habitats including ancient woodlands, species rich grasslands and heathland. 

 

Some of the most important sites are protected by international or national designations such as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).  However, a large number of other sites are also important for wildlife.

 

These sites are valuable habitats that provide a refuge for rare or threatened plants or animals and often owe their existence to a combination of historical land management practices and natural processes.

 

To help safeguard these sites for the future, many have been designated as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).  In Nidderdale AONB there are 87 SINCs in total.