During the mid 1990s a survey of Harrogate District identified
a number of sites that had the potential to be SINCs due to the
presence of a notable species or an important
habitat. Following a more detailed survey,
candidate SINCs were then submitted to the North Yorkshire SINC
Partnership.
The North Yorkshire SINC Partnership is made up of a team
of specialists from Local Authorities and interest
groups. Sites are assessed against detailed
criteria developed by the SINC Partnership in line with Natural
England guidance.
There are ten broad habitat guidelines:
- Grassland covering lowland and upland neutral, calcareous and
acid grassland.
- Woodland, scrub and hedgerows
- Parkland, wood pasture and scattered trees
- Fens, lowland mires, springs and flushes
- Standing water
- Flowing water
- Coastal habitats
- Upland moorland habitats
- Habitats on artificial substrates including metalliferous
communities on lead mining waste, cinder bed communities and
habitats that develop on pulverised fuel ash
- Mixed habitat and structural mosaics
The species guidelines cover the following biotic
groups:
- Vascular plants
- Non-vascular plants including lichens, mosses and liverworts,
stoneworts and fungi
- Mammals
- Birds
- Reptiles and Amphibians
- Fish
- Invertebrates including butterflies and moths,
dragonflies and damselflies, wasps, ants and bees and other
invertebrates