Botany Hill

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.5792, -2.0703

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Also within

Durham County North Pennines Scenic Area

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NY955204 — Favourable 3.67 2024-02-22

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Limestone

Description

Area, 3.75 ha. 9.26 ac. Description The Botany Hill stream section displays a series of mid Carboniferous sediments toppe dby the Botany Limestone. The principal importance of the section lies in the presence of this latter stratum, a widespread stratigraphic marker horizon, here at its type locality and bearing a very rich fauna. The sequence is the only one where the Botany limestone cyclothem is seen in an unfaulted section. This is a key site for stratigraphic studies of the Namurian of the North Pennines and Northumberland Trough. Other Information 1. The southern boundary has been extended during the 1984 revision. 2. This site was formerly notified as Botany Quarry. The site name has been changed to Botany Hill at this revision in order to emphasise the additional scientific importance of rock exposures along the How Gill.

Plant communities

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa