Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Location | West Sussex |
---|---|
Grid reference | SU 800 179[1] |
Interest | Biological |
Area | 336.3 hectares (831 acres)[1] |
Notification | 1987[1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Harting Downs is a 336.3-hectare (831-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Midhurst in West Sussex.[1][2] It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I[3] and an area of 206.6 hectares (511 acres) is a Local Nature Reserve which is owned and managed by the National Trust.[4][5][6]
This site consists of several parallel valleys on the steep slope of the South Downs. Habitats are chalk grassland, which is being invaded by scrub, together with areas of long-established woodland. The site is important for insects, with a nationally rare snail, Helicondonta obvoluta, two uncommon moths, the wood tiger and the maple prominent, and many rove beetles.[7]