500 nature refuges ‘at risk from fracking’ - Complete list in Yorkshire

SOME of Yorkshire’s most precious and protected sites for wildlife are at risk from fracking unless the Government toughens its stance, campaigners have warned.
Rothwell Country Park is one of the sites that lies within 500 metres of a licensing block area for shale gas exploration and extractions.Rothwell Country Park is one of the sites that lies within 500 metres of a licensing block area for shale gas exploration and extractions.
Rothwell Country Park is one of the sites that lies within 500 metres of a licensing block area for shale gas exploration and extractions.

Ministers announced in August some 27 new licence areas for shale gas exploration and extraction and another 132 licences are expected to be granted before the end of the year.

But, collectively, these licence areas include 293 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 188 Wildlife Trust nature reserves across England, raising fears that they are now at risk from fracking.

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Under current proposals 31 Yorkshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves are within licence areas and an additional 35 nature reserves are within 500 metres of another area awaiting further assessment.

Caroline Comins, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts reserves officer, at Wheldrake Ings in the Lower Derwent Valley. It is  one of the sites that lies within 500 metres of a licensing block area for shale gas exploration and extractions.Caroline Comins, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts reserves officer, at Wheldrake Ings in the Lower Derwent Valley. It is  one of the sites that lies within 500 metres of a licensing block area for shale gas exploration and extractions.
Caroline Comins, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts reserves officer, at Wheldrake Ings in the Lower Derwent Valley. It is one of the sites that lies within 500 metres of a licensing block area for shale gas exploration and extractions.

Also within the licencing areas are 91 of the region’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

Rob Stoneman, chief executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We simply cannot allow the provision of licenses awarded to oil and gas exploration companies for shale gas extraction to threaten what has taken decades of work to protect. The Government must uphold their commitment not to use hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on sites protected for wildlife.”

Robin Hood's Bay, where Maw Wyke to Beast Cliff falls within a Site of Special Scientific Interest or intersects with licensing blocks. Picture Kathryn Bulmer.Robin Hood's Bay, where Maw Wyke to Beast Cliff falls within a Site of Special Scientific Interest or intersects with licensing blocks. Picture Kathryn Bulmer.
Robin Hood's Bay, where Maw Wyke to Beast Cliff falls within a Site of Special Scientific Interest or intersects with licensing blocks. Picture Kathryn Bulmer.

Mr Stoneman’s organisation, as part of The Wildlife Trusts nationally, and other conservation organisations such as the RSPB, CPRE and the Campaign for National Parks are asking the Government to uphold their commitment not to allow fracking on sites protected for wildlife after promises to that effect earlier this year.

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Together, they are calling for fracking to be ruled out from in and around all Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation, Ramsar (wetland) sites, Local Wildlife Sites and Nature Reserves.

Mr Stoneman added: “We are deeply concerned that shale gas extraction is an untried technology in the UK, where the effects on hydrology and the geology of oil shale may be very different to the US; where there has been major development of the technology.

“Allowing this activity could have disastrous impacts on European Protected Sites, European Protected Species, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and locally designated sites.

“Once the damage is done there will be no rescue package, we could lose everything.”

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The Yorkshire Post has asked the Department of Energy & Climate Change for comment.

YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST RESERVES FULLY OR PARTLY WITHIN FRACKING LICENSING BLOCKS:

Agden Bog SK29

Allerthorpe Common SE74

Appleton Mill Farm SE78

Brockadale SE51

Burton Riggs TA09

Cali Heath SE75

Cali Heath SE74

Carr Lodge SE50

Carr Lodge SK59

Chafer Wood SE88

Chafer Wood SE98

Denaby Ings SE50

Fen Carr SE61

Filey Dams TA09

Harland Mount TA09

Hopyard Meadow SE61

Jeffry Bog SE76

Kirkham Wood SE76

Low Carr Farm SE87

Potteric Carr SE50

Potteric Carr SK59

Potteric Carr Rifle Butts Quarry SE84

Rothwell Country Park SE32

Rothwell Pastures SE32

Saltmarshe Delph SE72

Skerne Wetlands TA05

Snakeholm Pastures TA05

Sprotbrough Flash SE50

Strensall Common SE66

Thorpe Marsh SE50

Twentywellsick Wood SK38

Water Haigh Woodland Park SE32

Wharram Quarry SE86

Wheldrake Ings SE74

Willow Garth SE52

YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST RESERVES WITHIN 500M OF LICENSING BLOCKS:

Agden Bog SK29

Allerthorpe Common SE74

Appleton Mill Farm SE78

Brockadale SE51

Burton Riggs TA08

Cali Heath SE77

Cali Heath SE74

Carr Lodge SE50

Carr Lodge SK59

Carr Lodge Chafer Wood SE88

Chafer Wood SE98

Denaby Ings SE50

Fen Carr SE62

Filey Dams TA09

Harland Mount TA08

Hollinghurst Wood SE32

Hopyard Meadow SE61

Jeffry Bog SE76

Kirkham Wood SE76

Low Carr Farm SE87

Maltby Low Common SK59

Natural Grid SE50

Potteric Carr SE50

Potteric Carr SK59

Potteric Carr Rifle Butts Quarry SE84

Rothwell Country Park SE32

Rothwell Pastures SE32

Saltmarshe Delph SE72

Skerne Wetlands TA05

Snakeholm Pastures TA05

Sprotbrough Flash SE50

Sprotbrough Flash SK59

Strensall Common SE66

The Lines Way SE32

Thorpe Marsh SE50

Twentywellsick Wood SK38

Water Haigh Woodland Park SE32

Wharram Quarry SE86

Wheldrake Ings SE74

Willow Garth SE52

SITES OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST WITHIN OR INTERSECTING WITH LICENSING BLOCKS:

Allerthorpe Common

Horse Field, Gilling

Stairfoot Brickworks

Barn Hill Meadows

Humber Estuary

Stannington Ruffs

Beck Dale Meadow

Iron Scar and Hundale Point to Scalby Ness

Stonepit and Nova Slacks

Beckhead Plantation

Jeffry Bog

Strensall Common

Betton Farm Quarries

Keasey Dale

Thixen Dale and Long Dale

Bishop Wilton Deep Dale

Kirkham Park & Riverside

Three Dykes

Bishop Wilton Poor Land

Langbaurgh Ridge

Totley Wood

Blaiskey Bank Springs

Melbourne and Thornton Ings

Vessey Pasture Dale and Back Dale

Breighton Meadows

Mickletown Ings

Wadsley Fossil Forest

Brockadale

Millington Wood and Pastures

Waterdale

Cadeby Quarry

Moss Valley

Went Ings Meadows

Canyards Hills

Moss Valley Meadows

Wharncliffe Crags

Castlebeck and Scar Woods

Mount Pleasant Quarry

Wharram Quarry

Cawthorn Moor

Neepsend Brickworks

White Carr Meadow

Cayton, Cornelian and South Bays

Neepsend Railway Cutting

Withow Gap, Skipsea

Cinquefoil Brow and Wood Dale

New Edlington Brickpit

Cliff Ridge

Newton Mask

Cottam Well Dale

Nine Spring Dale

Cow Cliff Pasture and Quarry

North Bay to South Toll House Cliff

Cropton Banks and Howlgate Head Woods

North York Moors

Dark Peak

Pocklington Canal

Denaby Ings

Potteric Carr

Derwent Ings

Rifle Butts Quarry

Eastern Peak District Moors

River Derwent

Edlington Wood

River Hull Headwaters

Fairy Call Beck

Robin Hood’s Bay: Maw Wyke to Beast Cliff

Farndale

Roche Abbey Woodlands

Filey Brigg

Roseberry Topping

Flamborough Head

Ruston Cottage Pasture

Flamborough Railway Cutting

Scar End Wood

Fordon Chalk Grasslands

Seckar Wood

Ginny Spring,Whitwell Wood

Skipsea Bail Mere

Gristhorpe Bay and Red Cliff

Sleightholme Dale

Harwood Dale Moor

Snape Hill Quarry

Hayburn Wyke

Snaper Farm Meadows

Hill House Nab

South Pennine Moors

Hoddy Cows Spring

Spell Howe Plantation

Horse Dale and Holm Dale

Sprotbrough Gorge