Location

Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are places where wildlife comes first. They were established to protect the most important areas of wildlife habitat and geological formations in Britain, and as places for scientific research. This does not mean they are "no-go areas" for people. It means that we must be careful not to damage the wildlife of these fragile places.

This means that every NNR is "nationally important" and that they are all among the best examples of a particular habitat. It also means that NNRs are carefully managed on behalf of the nation. They are either owned or controlled by Natural England or held by approved bodies such as Wildlife Trusts.

Lindisfarne NNr - On the edge of Britain land and water meet. Tidal mudflats, saltmarshes and dunes combine to create a place which is home to fascinating plants and to a food supply that attracts bird visitors from thousands of miles away. The Reserve protects a long stretch of coast, including the dunes of Holy Island. The NNR is managed by Natural England staff who work to ensure that the bids and plants of the area survive in harmony with the people who live in and those that visit the area.

In the dune 'slacks' (the damper hollows) rabbits perform a useful function in keeping the creeping willow well grazed. This allows many rarer plants to establish.
It has been discovered that most of the duneland of the Northumberland coast is relatively young – having only developed during the last 200 – 300 years, however here on Lindisfarne NNR, older dunes based on glacial sands and clays exist, where Holy Island has an extensive range of dunes and dune grassland.

Sand dunes are dynamic features of our coastline that are constantly changing due to the effect and power of the wind, sea and tides. 
They often support very wide range of plants and species rich grassland.  Here on the Northumberland coast, species to be found include burnet rose; seaside geranium; marsh helleborine; sea lavender; the county flower of Northumberland – the bloody cranesbill and the unique Lindisfarne helleborine.

The area here is dominated not only by sand dunes, but with vast mud and sand flats with Holy Island being separated from the mainland by a huge system of salt marshes, tidal creeks and mud flats.  As well as an important habitat for flora (plants and flowers) they also are a key area for fauna (animal life).  The site hosts up to 50,000 waterfowl and is very famous for the flock of light bellied brent geese as this is their only regular wintering place in Britain.  Other internationally important wildfowl and wintering birds that over-winter here include greylag and pink-footed goose, wigeon, grey plover and bar-tailed godwits who fly into the area every autumn.

This area is a haven for bird watches with over 300 species having been recorded.

Due to the natural beauty the area also has other designations

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty  (AONB)

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty include some of out finest countryside of which there are 37 in England and are recognised as an equivalent of National Parks in terms of landscape.

Here in the North East there are 2 such designated sites; the Northumberland Coast and North Pennines and Beal farm lies within the Northumberland Coast AONB.  They are living and working landscapes that are protected by law, where they are inhabited by thousands and loved by thousands more visitors.

The primary statutory purpose of the AONB is to enhance and conserve the natural beauty of the landscape.

The statutory definition of ‘Natural Beauty’ includes flora, fauna, geological and physiographic features.  The natural beauty is partly due to nature and partly to many centuries of human modification of the natural features.  Landscape includes everything (both natural and human) that makes the area distinctive; geology, climate, soil, plants, animals, communities, archaeology, buildings and people.

The Northumberland Coast AONB was designated in 1958 and covers over 39 miles of coast from the Coquet estuary in the south, to Berwick in the North.  The coastline is best known for it’s dramatic landscapes including long sandy beaches, rolling dunes, rocky cliffs and islands.  This thin stretch of the landscape is never wider than 2.5km and less than 50m in width at it’s narrowest point, however it contains a huge variety of natural, historical and scenic interest.  It is rich with wildlife, but perhaps best known for the colonies of seabirds, waders and wildlife that both inhabit and visit the coast.

In addition to the AONB designation, the coastline was further recognised in 1973 as it was one of the first to be designated as a Heritage Coast.

The majority of the AONB consists of mixed-use farmland that is intensively cropped and grazed.  The farms are typically large and include large areas of grassland, permanent pasture and cultivated ground, thereby producing a mosaic effect on the landscape.  The field patterns are mostly defined through cropped hedges, with a variation of stone walling and post and wire fencing.  The farm steadings themselves are usually isolated from villages and settlements.  However the farmland around in Holy Island is in a low lying area and the farmland appears to be relatively open as the land shelves down to meet the shoreline.

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

SSSIs are the country's very best wildlife and geological sites. They include some of our most spectacular and beautiful habitats.

Lindisfarne SSSI

As well as extensive inter tidal sand and mudflats that supports internationally important wintering populations of waders and wildfowl, the site also supports a number of rare plants and invertebrates and important breeding populations of sea birds.

The dune systems support a varying range of fauna including dark green fritillary, grayling and ringlet butterflies and rare moths.

The site also has a wide range of marine habitats that are created by the varied geology and topography of the rocky inter-tidal zone including, limestone and sandstone and volcanic rock.  This, combined with the interaction of the sea produces some unique habitats and species specific to the Northumberland Coast.

Ramsar Site