Walton and Ivythorn Hills
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
 Shown within Somerset
|
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| Area of Search | Somerset |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | ST475346 |
| Coordinates | 51°06′30″N 2°45′05″W / 51.10828°N 2.75129°WCoordinates: 51°06′30″N 2°45′05″W / 51.10828°N 2.75129°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 34.9 hectares (0.349 km2; 0.135 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1953 |
| Natural England website | |
Walton and Ivythorn Hills (grid reference ST475346) is a 34.9 hectare (86.1 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Street at the south-eastern end of the Polden Hills in Somerset, notified in 1953.
This site is owned and managed by the National Trust.
Walton and Ivythorn Hills support a complex mosaic of semi-natural habitats which includes unimproved calcareous grassland, dense and scattered scrub and broadleaved woodland. Structural diversity within the habitats, together with the extensive areas of sheltered wood-edge and scrub-edge margins provide ideal conditions for many species of invertebrate. Butterflies, Leafhoppers, Spiders and Soldier Flies are particularly well represented. The Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) is also of interest.[1]
There is some evidence of the remains of ancient earthworks on Walton Hill.
[edit] References
- ^ "Walton and Ivythorn Hills". English Nature. http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001144.pdf. Retrieved 2006-08-21.
