Racecourse Farm Fields facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Northamptonshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 5.0 hectares |
| Notification | 1983 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Racecourse Farm Fields is a special natural area in Easton on the Hill, Northamptonshire. It covers about 5 hectares, which is like five football fields. This site is very important for nature. It is known as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI. This means it has rare plants and animals.
Contents
What is Racecourse Farm Fields?
Racecourse Farm Fields is a unique piece of land. It used to be a quarry, where rocks were dug out. Now, it is a beautiful grassland. This grassland grows on Jurassic limestone. These are very old rocks from the time of the dinosaurs. The area was officially recognized as an SSSI in 1983. This helps protect its special wildlife.
A Special Place for Nature
This grassland is home to many different kinds of plants. It has a very diverse flora. This means you can find many types of flowering plants here. In fact, you can find over thirty different species in just one small square meter! This makes it a very rich habitat.
Amazing Plants You Can Find
Racecourse Farm Fields has several plants that are hard to find in other places. These are called locally rare plants. Some of these special plants include:
- Dodder: This is a plant that grows on other plants.
- Autumn gentian: A beautiful flower that blooms in the fall.
- Clustered bellflower: This plant has bell-shaped flowers that grow in groups.
- Small scabious: Another pretty flowering plant found here.
How the Land is Cared For
The grassland at Racecourse Farm Fields is kept healthy by animals. Sheep and cattle graze here. They eat the grass, which keeps it short. This helps the special plants grow well. It stops taller plants from taking over. This natural way of caring for the land is very important.
Visiting Racecourse Farm Fields
Racecourse Farm Fields is a private area. This means it is owned by someone. Because of this, there is no public access. People cannot visit the site. This helps to protect the delicate plants and animals that live there.
