Briarcroft Pasture

{{Short description|Biological site in Durham, England}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Briarcroft Pasture | iucn_category =  | image = | image_caption =  | map = United Kingdom County Durham | image_map = | map_width = 243 | map_caption = | relief = 1  | location = [[Stockton-on-Tees (borough)|Stockton-on-Tees]], [[County Durham]], England | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|54|34|4|N|1|23|23|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_ha = 1.8 | area_ref = | elevation = | elevation_avg = | elevation_min = | elevation_max = | dimensions = | designation =  | authorized = | created = | designated = | established = 2004 | named_for = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | governing_body = Natural England | administrator = | operator = | owner =  | website = [http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx?map=sssi&feature=2000475,sssi,HYPERLINK,LABEL Map of site] | module = }}

'''Briarcroft Pasture''' ({{gbmapping|NZ394193}}) is a 1.76 hectare [[biological Site of Special Scientific Interest]] in [[County Durham]], England [[SSSI notification|notified]] in 2004.

==Reason for notification== SSSIs are designated by [[Natural England]], formally [[English Nature]], which uses the [[Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|1974–1996 county system]]. This means there is no grouping of SSSIs by [[Stockton-on-Tees (borough)|Stockton-on-Tees]] unitary authority, or [[County Durham]] which is the relevant [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] . As such Briarcroft Pasture is one of 18 SSSIs in the [[List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cleveland|Cleveland area of search]].<ref>{{cite web | title=SSSIs in Cleveland area of search | url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/searchresults.cfm?sssi_name=&frmcounty=1007 | work=English Nature | access-date=31 January 2007}}</ref>

Briarcroft Pasture is nationally important for its [[Species richness|species-rich]] [[grassland]] which is unimproved by fertilisers. This type of grassland – once common in the [[River Tees|Tees]] lowland – is becoming increasingly rare, with associated species also becoming rare. Briarcroft Pasture is one of only two remaining examples of this habitat in the [[Tees Valley|Tees lowland area]]. The other example is [[Whitton Bridge Pasture]] an SSSI approximately 3 km to the north which was designated at the same time but is significantly larger.<ref name="whitton">{{cite web | title=Whitton Bridge Pasture citation sheet| url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/2000474.pdf | work=English Nature | access-date=2 February 2006}}</ref><ref name="2004 report">{{cite web | title=Stockton-on-Tees Borough annual monitoring report 2004/2005 | url=http://www.stockton.gov.uk/resources/environment/planning/newsystem/amr_0405.pdf | work=Stockton-on-Tees Borough council | access-date=3 February 2007}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

Under the [[British National Vegetation Classification]] (NVC), Briarcroft Pasture is considered as [[Mesotrophic grasslands in the British National Vegetation Classification system|mesotrophic grassland]] because it represents a well-drained and permanent pasture. In particular it is considered the [[British NVC community MG5|MG5 community]] due to the species present. MG5 is widespread in many lowland areas in England, Wales and Scotland as well as the Midlands and Yorkshire. Briarcroft Pasture is predominantly [[Terminology used in connection with the British National Vegetation Classification|subcommunity]] [[British NVC community MG5#Subcommunities|MG5c]] (''Danthonia decumbens''); however, this forms a mosaic with [[British NVC community MG9|community MG9]], which is associated with poorly drained permanent pastures.<ref name="book">{{cite book |editor=John S. Rodwell |editor-link=John S. Rodwell |title=British Plant Communities Volume 3: Grasslands and montane communities |year=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn= 0-521-62719-2 |page=63 }}</ref><ref name="citation sheet">{{cite web | title=Briarcroft Pasture citation sheet| url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/2000475.pdf | work=English Nature | access-date=31 January 2007}}</ref>

==Site description==

===Abiotic=== [[File:Festuca.rubra.2.jpg|right|thumb|[[Red Fescue]] is one of the dominant species in subcommunity MG5c and is found at Briarcroft Pasture.]] Briarcrift Pasture, located west of [[Stockton-on-Tees]] and close to [[Whinney Hill, County Durham]], is a small site 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres). Topographically the site is level and has an altitude of approximately 50 m and is adjacent to a small stream.<ref name="citation sheet"/><ref>{{cite web | title=Site map| url=http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx?map=sssi&feature=2000475,sssi,HYPERLINK,LABEL | work=Nature on the Map | access-date=17 August 2007}}</ref> The underlying geology of Whitton Bridge Pasture is responsible for shaping the species-rich community found on the surface. [[till|Glacial tills]] and [[sand]]s are the prominent geological features resulting in a relatively base-poor soil, characteristic of glacial drift geology. The soils of MG5c (''Danthonia decumbens'') subcommunity are typically acidic.<ref name="citation sheet"/>

Located in [[North East England]], Briarcroft Pasture experience a climate that differs from the UK average.{{ref label|climate|A|A}} The North East receives on average 370 mm less rainfall than the UK over a year. Similarly the North East has roughly 129 days each year with more than 1 mm of rainfall, this is over 25 days less than UK average. Temperature is similar for both the North East and the UK, although the North East does have fewer days with air frost and more hours of sunshine per year.<ref>{{cite web|title=UK average climate |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/uk.html |work=Met Office |access-date=24 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705140124/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/uk.html |archive-date=5 July 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=East and North East England average climate |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/england_e_&_ne.html |work=Met Office |access-date=24 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109081339/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/england_e_%26_ne.html |archive-date=9 January 2007 }}</ref>

===Biotic=== The majority of the site is made up of species-rich grassland (subcommunity MG5c), which comprises three dominant species of grass and several other grass species at lower abundances. The dominant species are [[Festuca rubra|Red Fescue]] (''Festuca rubra''), [[Agrostis capillaris|Common Bent]] (''Agrostis capillaris'') and [[Yorkshire Fog]] (''Holcus lanatus''). The less abundant species of grass include, [[Crested Dog’s-tail]] (''Cynosurus cristatus''), [[Danthonia|Heath-grass]] (''Danthonia decumbens'') and [[Cocksfoot]] (''Dactylis glomerata''). The subcommunity also has many broad-leaved herbs including [[Centaurea|Common Knapweed]] (''Centaurea nigra''), [[Tormentil]] (''Potentilla erecta''), [[Succisa|Devils-bit scabious]] (''Succisa pratensis'') and [[Stachys officinalis|Betony]] (''Stachys officinalis'').<ref name="citation sheet"/>

A second community, [[British NVC community MG9|MG9]], forms a mosaic with the species rich grassland of MG5. This second community is associated with ''Holcus lanatus'' and ''Deschampsia caespitosa''. Other prominent plants are herbs, including many species with a local distribution among them; [[Serratula tinctoria|Saw-wort]] (''Serratula tinctoria'') and [[Genista|dyer’s greenweed]] (''Genista tinctoria''). [[Hordeum secalinum|Meadow Barley]] (''Hordeum secalinum'') is also present.<ref name="citation sheet"/>

== Notes == {{refbegin}} It is therefore likely that the differences described in the article are an underestimate of how Whitton Bridge Pasture differs to the national climate.{{refend}}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Borough of Stockton-on-Tees]] [[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cleveland, England]] [[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified in 2004]]