Great Casterton Road Banks facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Area of Search | Lincolnshire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°39′47″N 0°30′50″W / 52.663°N 0.514°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 0.4 hectares (0.99 acres) |
| Notification | 1985 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Great Casterton Road Banks is a small, special nature area located near Stamford in Lincolnshire, England. It's officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI for short. This means it's a protected place because of its unique plants and natural features. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust helps look after this important site.
Contents
What is Great Casterton Road Banks?
Great Casterton Road Banks is a small but mighty piece of land, covering about 0.4 hectares. That's roughly the size of half a football field! It's a special type of habitat called calcareous grassland.
What is Calcareous Grassland?
Calcareous grassland is a fancy name for grassy areas that grow on chalky or limestone soil. This kind of soil is rich in calcium, which makes it perfect for certain types of plants that can't grow anywhere else. The ground here is made of ancient Jurassic Limestone.
Common Grasses You'll See
While many special plants grow here, the area is mostly covered by two common types of grass:
- Upright brome
- Tor-grass
These grasses help form the main habitat for other plants and insects.
Amazing Plants You Can Find
This small site is home to some very rare and interesting plants. Because of its unique soil, it's a perfect place for species that need specific conditions to thrive.
Rare and Special Flowers
Great Casterton Road Banks is the only place in the entire county of Lincolnshire where you can find sulphur clover (Trifolium ochroleucon). This makes it a really important spot for this particular plant.
You can also discover two other plants that are rare in this region:
- Greater broomrape: This plant is unique because it doesn't have green leaves and gets its food from other plants.
- Perennial flax: This delicate plant has beautiful blue flowers and is also not commonly found in the area.
Visiting Great Casterton Road Banks
If you'd like to visit this special natural area, you can find access from the Old Great North Road. It's a great place to see rare plants and enjoy nature.
Images for kids
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A view of the Great Casterton Road Banks site.
