Whitmoor Common
Site of Special Scientific Interest
LocationSurrey
Grid referenceSU 984 536[1]
InterestBiological
Area166.0 hectares (410 acres)[1]
Notification1993[1]
Location mapMagic Map

Whitmoor Common is a 166-hectare (410-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the northern outskirts of Guildford in Surrey.[1][2] It is part of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area[3] and the 184.9-hectare (457-acre) Whitmoor and Rickford Commons Local Nature Reserve,[4][5] which is owned by Surrey County Council and managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust.[6]

This site on the heath of the London Basin has a variety of heathland habitats, as well as areas of woodland, meadow and still and running water. The heath has a nationally scarce spider, Oxyopes heterophthalmus and beetle Hyperaspis pseudopustulata and there are nationally important populations of several bird species.[7]

The site is open to the public.

History

The common has had many fires including August 12, 2020[8] April 22nd, 2019[9] and 21 June 2018.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Whitmoor Common". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Map of Whitmoor Common". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Designated Sites View: Thames Basin Heaths". Special Protection Areas. Natural England. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Whitmoor and Rickford Commons". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Map of Whitmoor and Rickford Commons". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Whitmoor & Rickford Commons". Surrey Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Whitmoor Common citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  8. ^ McCrum, Kirstie; Pengelly, Emma (12 August 2020). "In photos: Whitmoor Common blaze is third wildfire in week". SurreyLive. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Firefighters Extinguish Blaze On Whitmoor Common". The Guildford Dragon. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  10. ^ McKeon, Christopher (21 June 2018). "Wildfire burns 30 acres of Whitmoor Common". SurreyLive. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

External links

51°16′23″N 0°35′28″W / 51.273°N 0.591°W / 51.273; -0.591

Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey
Surrey Wildlife Trust
Local Nature Reserves in Surrey
Categories