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Bradford - A Habitat Appraisal

by Les Barnett, Honorary President

at the Dec. 2015 meeting of BUWG as a basis for future discussion

The Metropolitan District of Bradford is the declared focus of Interest of BUWG. It is both geographically and geologically positioned across more than one natural area - as defined by English Nature (now Natural England) in their publication ” A Biodiversity Audit of Yorkshire and the Humber 1999”.

A Natural Area by definition does not follow any administrative boundary, but instead delineates an area with a common history of land use and ecological character’.

Any area can be examined in accordance with its natural features. These may differ across the administrative district because of varying geographical and/or geological Influences.

Natural Areas affecting Bradford, and in fact coming together within its administrative boundaries are:

· Yorkshire Dales (North),

· The Dales Fringe (North-East),

· Coal Measures (East and South),

· South Pennines (West and South-West).

These areas all have their own particular types of countryside and where they do meet there is even greater variety.

A further influence, particularly important in Bradford, is topography - the hills and valleys

Habitat Types to Consider within the Bradford Metropolitan District

  • Woodland City Woods Clough Valleys and Ancient Sites, Plantations
  • Grassland Farmland, Golf Courses, Sports-field Peripheries
  • Mixed Mosaics City Sites, Allotments, Industrial Sites, Sealed Tips
  • Standing Water Mill-Dams, Field Ponds, Local Ponds
  • Flowing Water rivers, Streams and Becks, Canals
  • Parkland Municipal Controlled, Hospital Grounds, Estate Land
  • Hedgerows Verges, Ancient Boundaries, Un-made Lanes
  • Drystone Walls (Field Boundaries, Old Quarries,
  • Fens and Mires Bogs, Marshes,
  • Nature Reserves
  • Heath and Moorland Lowland or Upland·
    Mixed Mosaics City Sites, Allotments, Industrial Sites, Sealed Tips
  •  Standing Water Mill-Dams, Field Ponds, Local Ponds
  • Flowing Water rivers, Streams and Becks, Canals
  • Parkland Municipal Controlled, Hospital Grounds, Estate Land
  • Hedgerows Verges, Ancient Boundaries, Un-made Lanes
  • Drystone Walls (Field Boundaries, Old Quarries,
  • Fens and Mires Bogs, Marshes,
  • Nature Reserves
  • Heath and Moorland Lowland or Upland
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