Greenham and Crookham Commons
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 Crookham Common | |
| Location | Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SU 501 644[1] |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 280.5 hectares (693 acres)[1] |
| Notification | 1994[1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Greenham and Crookham Commons is a 280.5-hectare (693-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on the southern outskirts of Newbury in Berkshire. The SSSI is in several areas[1][2] and it is part of the 444-hectare (1,100-acre) Greenham and Crookham Commons nature reserve, which is owned by West Berkshire Council and managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.[3]
In the 1980s Greenham Common was a military base storing nuclear weapons and the location of the Women's Peace Camp, but following the closure of the base it was opened to the public as a nature reserve in 2000.[3] The two commons have the largest area of heathland and acid grassland in the county and other habitats are gorse scrub, broad leaved woodland and water-logged alder valleys. There is a rich variety of invertebrates, such as the white admiral, purple emperor and silver-washed fritillary woodland butterflies.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Greenham and Crookham Commons". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Map of Greenham and Crookham Commons". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Greenham and Crookham Commons". Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Greenham and Crookham Commons citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
51°22′34″N 1°16′55″W / 51.376°N 1.282°W
