:Acaster South Ings

{{short description|Site of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire, England}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image=Acaster South Ings 9 December 2019 (50).JPG

|caption=Acaster South Ings, north gateway

|name=Acaster South Ings

|aos=North Yorkshire

|interest=Biological

|gridref=SE594437

|area={{convert|38.3|ha|acre|abbr=on}}

|notifydate=1988

|map=[https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271004526%27 Magic Map (Defra)]

|enref=

}}

Acaster South Ings is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI, near York, England. It consists of two alluvial flood-meadows, and was designated in 1988 because it supports diverse fauna and flora, some of which is rare in the Vale of York area. One of the rarities is the tansy beetle, which feeds on the leaves of the tansy plant.

Site location and designation

Acaster South Ings is a {{convert|38.3|ha|acre}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), consisting of "two large alluvial flood-meadows."{{cite web |last1=Symons |first1=Bill |title=Biodiversity Action Plan 2013/2014, Table 3 national designations Vale of York |url=http://www.yorkconsort.gov.uk/documents/ycdbbiodivplan.pdf |website=Yorkconsort.gov.uk |publisher=York Consortium of Drainage Boards |date=2014|access-date=12 December 2019 |location=Derwent House, Crockey Hill, York, YO19 4SR |page=13}} The meadows are adjacent to the River Ouse and approximately {{convert|4|mi|km}} south of York. Such wet grasslands are considered rare in the United Kingdom due to contemporary "drainage and agricultural improvement."{{cite web |last1=Christian |first1=Simon |title=Designated sites citation: Acaster South Ings |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1004526.pdf |website=Designated sites Natural England |publisher=Natural England |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=1988}}{{cite web |title=Magic Map: Acaster South Ings |url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271004526%27 |website=Magic.defra.gov.uk |publisher=Natural England |access-date=10 December 2019}} The site is accessed on foot via a public footpath along the Ouse riverbank, from Acaster Malbis via Acaster Marine.{{cite web |title=Footpaths map of Acaster Malbis area |url=https://acastermalbis-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Acaster-Malbis-Parish-Council-map-v2.pdf |website=acastermalbis-pc.gov.uk/ |publisher=Acaster Malbis Parish Council |access-date=12 December 2019}}

The SSSI was first notified in 1988, and is classified under a wildlife enhancement scheme, due to the presence of grasslands containing rare plant and insect life.{{cite web |last1=Simon |first1=Christian |title=Designated sites view: Acaster South Ings SSSI |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1004526&SiteName=acaster%20south%20ings&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |website=Designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk |publisher=Natural England |access-date=10 December 2019 |date=1 May 1988}} It is one of nine wildlife SSSIs in the Greater York area, the other designated sites being Strensall Common, Heslington Tilmire, Askham Bog, Fulford Ings, Naburn Marsh, Church Ings, Derwent Ings and River Derwent.{{cite web |last1=Hammond |first1=Martin |title=City of York bioversity audit 20107.1.: Review of wildlife sites in the city of York |url=http://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s46232/bio%2520Audit%2520Review%25202010%2520with%2520appendices%25203%2520-%2520online%2520only.pdf |website=Democracy.york.co.uk |publisher=City of York Council |access-date=12 December 2019 |page=43 |date=2010}} It is one of four riverside hay meadow SSSIs listed by the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, alongside Clifton Ings and Rawlcliffe Meadows, Fulford Ings and Naburn Marsh.{{cite web |title=About river and catchment |url=http://www.yorkshiredalesriverstrust.com/your-rivers/river-ouse/ |website=Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=2014}}

Significant site content

=Flora=

There are grasses such as great burnet, cock's-foot, creeping bent, meadow foxtail, Yorkshire fog and crested dog's tail.

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (20).JPG|Great burnet at Acaster South Ings

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (21).JPG|Cock's-foot at the site

Agrostis Wuchs.jpg|Creeping bent

Alopecurus pratensis Grote vossenstaart.jpg|Meadow foxtail

Gestreepte witbol bloei Holcus lanatus.jpg|Yorkshire fog

Cynosurus.cristatus.jpg|Crested dog's tail

Flowering plants covering the flood meadow include meadow vetchling, ox eye daisy, common sorrel, red clover, creeping thistle, meadowsweet, ribwort plantain and meadow buttercup. There are "distinct stands throughout the grassland" of common bistort, and some areas which contain common meadow rue, and pepper saxifrage.

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (74).JPG|Meadow vetchling at Acaster South Ings

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (14).JPG|Sorrel or dock at the site

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (40).JPG|Red clover at the site

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (11).JPG|Creeping thistle at the site

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (7).JPG|Meadowsweet at the site

The site is protected, by earth dykes, from potential flooding from the adjacent River Ouse. These dykes provide plant habitat which is drier than the flood meadows. Some plants which prefer this drier habitat are meadow cranesbill, field mouse ear and clustered bellflower. Along the riverside are trees and shrubs such as osier and hawthorn, and plants taller than those in the meadows, including tansy, butterbur, common mugwort, reed canary grass and great willowherb.

Acaster South Ings 9 December 2019 (14).JPG|Looking north across Acaster South Ings: grassland (left), dyke (right), riverside shrubs (background)

Acaster South Ings 2021-07-08 (3).jpg|Meadow cranesbill at Acaster South Ings

Cerastium arvense 5620.JPG|Field mouse ear

20150812Campanula glomerata4.jpg|Clustered bellflower

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (49).JPG|Tansy at the site

Acaster South Ings 9 December 2019 (12).JPG|Osiers at the site

=Fauna=

There are two beetles which are protected here. The rare tansy beetle{{cite web |url=https://data.nbn.org.uk/Taxa/NBNSYS0000011153 |title=Chrysolina graminis (Linnaeus, 1758) [Tansy Beetle] |publisher=Nationally Biodiversity Network |date=2012–2013 |access-date=January 20, 2020}} feeds on the leaves of the tansy plant, and Aphthona nigriceps (a flea beetle) lives on meadow cranesbill.{{refn|An image of Aphthona nigriceps can be seen [https://content.eol.org/data/media/81/78/00/542.8851238187.jpg here], and a description of it is [https://www.coleoptera.org.uk/species/aphthona-nigriceps here].|group=nb}} Other insects here are scarab beetle Hoplia philanthus, red soldier beetle, pollen beetle and plant bug Leptoterna flavilabris. The curlew, a wading bird, breeds here. This is "one of few suitable breeding areas for waders" in the Vale of York, so dog walkers are advised to keep dogs on leads during the spring breeding season.{{refn|Natural England's notice on the site's entrance gate requests visitors to keep dogs on the lead, and to keep to the footpath on the dyke along the riverside.|group=nb}}

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (96).JPG|Tansy beetle at Acaster South Ings

Acaster South Ings 2021-07-08 (3a).jpg|Pollen beetle on meadow cranesbill at the site

Acaster South Ings 8 July 2021 (80).JPG|Scarab beetle at the site

Acaster South Ings 2021-07-08 (4).jpg|Red soldier beetle at the site

Acaster South Ings 2021-07-08 (5).jpg|Plant bug at the site

Curlew - natures pics.jpg|Curlew

Maintenance

"Active management" is required, to conserve the above flora and fauna.{{cite web |title=Views about management |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/VAM/1004526.pdf |website=Designated sites Natural England |publisher=Natural England |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=1988}} Farming practices for the protection of the above species are: "continuation of traditional management for haycropping followed by aftermath grazing in late summer to early autumn." To prevent tall growth and to avoid build-up of decayed vegetation, the fields are cut or mowed in early July after the curlews have bred and the protected plants have set seed. Grazing animals are removed in autumn. There is "regular and careful maintenance of surface drainage including ditches and drains." The condition of the site is described by Natural England as "unfavourable - recovering."{{cite web |title=Designated sites view: Acaster South Ings SSSI |url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteUnitList.aspx?SiteCode=S1004526&SiteName=acaster%20south%20ings&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |website=Designated sites Natural England |publisher=Natural England |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=1988}} The unfavourable condition was specified as "unfavourable development" in Hansard in 2004.{{cite web |title=Hansard: Sites of Special Scientific Interest |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo040901/text/40901w38.htm |website=www.parliament.uk |publisher=House of Commons and House of Lords |access-date=12 December 2019 |date=1 September 2004}}

Development and risk assessment

In 2018 the company Renewables First assessed the area for potential effects of the proposed Naburn Weir Hydroelectric Project. The assessment document concluded that the development was "not expected to have an adverse impact on the nearby SSSIs."{{cite web |last1=Clutterbuck |first1=Kelly |title=Naburn Weir Hydroelectric Project. Water Framework Directive Assessment. 3.28. Biodiversity and fish passage |url=https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/h2o-power-ltd-29581/supporting_documents/Water%2520Framework%2520Directive%2520Assessment.pdf |website=Cached |publisher=Renewables First |access-date=12 December 2019 |page=10 |date=September 2018}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}