Other spaces for nature
Aside from Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), County Wildlife Sites (CWSs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) there are a number of other spaces for nature that are equally as enticing.
Plym Valley Woods
The Plym Valley is a green artery situated on the eastern fringes of Plymouth. Land is under varied private ownership including the The National Trust and the Forestry Commission.
The Plym Valley contains a number of paths and cycle routes. The Plymbridge Woods cycle ride stretches for 10 miles from the outskirts of Plymouth to the edge of Dartmoor, along the old Great Western Railway track.
The Forestry Commission provide information on wildlife and recreation within their land holding in the Plym Valley. Plymouth University have produced A Guide to the Geology and the Mining/Transport History of the Plym Valley.
Mount Edgcumbe
Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park is located on the opposite bank of the Tamar from Plymouth, in Cornwall. The site is owned and managed jointly by the Plymouth City Council and Cornwall County Council.
Mount Edgcumbe House was built in the 15th century and is surrounded by 865 of stunning Country Park, for more information visit the Mount Edgcumbe website.
Plymouth Sound and Tamar Estuaries
Plymouth Sound and the Tamar Estuaries are located to the south and west of Plymouth respectively. Together they form a European Marine Site which is the most highly protected space for nature conservation within Plymouth.
The European Marine Site consists of a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area. Important habitats include sandbanks, reefs, estuaries and salt meadows that support important wintering bird populations including the avocet.
In the approaches to the Sound, bottle-nosed dolphins and basking sharks are occasionally spotted. Beneath the waves, the Sound is home to both the spiny seahorse and the short-snouted seahorse which reside amongst eelgrass beds. Pink sea fan, one of the UK's most endangered soft corals, can be found in amongst rocky reefs.
The Tamar Estuaries Consultative Forum (TECF) is the estuary management partnership that promotes the delivery of integrated management for the Tamar estuaries and near by coastal areas in order to ensure long term sustainability.
Radford Woods
Radford Woods is located to the south east of Plymouth. The site covers 37.28ha and is owned and managed by the Plymouth City Council and is accessible to the public. Please see our Radford Woods page for more information.
Wembury Marine Centre
Wembury lies just beyond the boundaries of Plymouth in the South Hams. Wembury and the surrounding coastline form a Voluntary Marine Conservation Area (VMCA) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Wembury Marine Centre is the ideal place to learn about the surrounding area and its wildlife through interactive displays, aquaria and regular rockpool rambles.