500 nature refuges ‘at risk from fracking’ - Complete list in Yorkshire
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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Hide AdUnder 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.
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.”
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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Hide AdTogether, 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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Hide AdThe 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