
Ingleborough National Nature Reserve
Over 30 years of rewilding a National Nature Reserve in North Yorkshire
At a glance
Location
Chapel le Dale, Yorkshire
Area
988 acres
Start date
1990
Scale
Medium
Habitats
Upland, Mixed woodland, Wetlands (including peatlands and marsh), Grassland and meadow and Limestone pavement
Key species
Short eared owl and Red grouse
Rewilding actions
Habitat restoration, Tree Planting, Grazing exclusion/control and Natural regeneration
Engaging people
Volunteering and Recreation
Ingleborough National Nature Reserve (NNR) is part of the larger Ingleborough Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is one of the famous Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, renowned for its spectacular scenery and special wildlife. The NNR supports rare limestone pavement, species rich meadow pastures, peatland, and ancient woodland.
The NNR is most associated with its diverse plant life, but also supports a range of birds, butterflies, moths, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. This is, in part, due to its varied geology helping to support rare plants including Yorkshire primrose and hare’s tail cottongrass.
There is a long history of people using the landscape – people have lived and farmed this area for thousands of years. The reserve supports abandoned settlements, old limekilns and drystone walls. The site is open to public access, providing recreational opportunities for visitors to connect with its unique and diverse habitats and biodiversity.
KICK-STARTING REWILDING
A reduction in sheep grazing was undertaken on the site to restore a varied vegetation structure. Low numbers of cattle occasionally graze limestone pavement to protect this priority habitat. Natural regeneration has been encouraged across the NNR, with supplementary native tree planting where needed. Peat bog restoration has also been undertaken on the site to retain water and maintain wet boggy habitats.
A range of herbaceous plants and shrubs have already been reintroduced into remnant ancient ash woodland to restore vegetation structure and encourage more diverse woodland to regenerate on the site. This will act as a seed source for naturally regenerating woodlands on the site.
Images: Inglesborough NNR & Colin Newlands
Gallery
Future Plans
- 1 Continue to monitor the site in addition with the Natural England National Monitoring Network and other monitoring initiatives including BTO breeding bird transects, small mammal, invertebrate and fixed point photography
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