Frampton Pools

Frampton Pools (grid reference SO753073) is a 59.84-hectare (147.9-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1974.[1][2] The pools are on the edge of the village of Frampton on Severn.[3]

Frampton Pools
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Great crested grebe with young (Podiceps cristatus)
Location within Gloucestershire
Area of SearchGloucestershire
Grid referenceSO753073
Coordinates51.764283°N 2.358584°W / 51.764283; -2.358584
InterestBiological
Area59.84 hectare
Notification1974
Natural England website

The site is in the Severn Vale and consists of a number of lakes created as a result of gravel extraction. These provide a good open water habitat which is important for wintering wildfowl. The site is mostly standing water which is surrounded by broadleaved woodland, scrub and the margins support marginal vegetation.[1] The larger, deeper northern pit has steep banks and is often subjected to disturbance by sailing, the southern pit is smaller and shallower with well-vegetated banks and is less disturbed.[3] The northern pool is known as Court Lake and has an area of thirty-nine point nine hectares (99 acres) and the southern pool is called Townsfield Lake and has an area of twenty point seven hectares (51 acres).[1] In 2009 funding was secured to improve the conservation condition of the site through the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.[4]

Species

The over-wintering birds include large numbers of mallard, teal, shoveler, pochard, tufted duck and pintail. Rarer species also visit such as smew and scaup. The lakes are used as a breeding area for tufted duck, mallard and great crested grebe.[1] The vegetation around the pools can hold wintering Eurasian siskin, lesser redpoll and common chiffchaff, while in the breeding season the site has held European turtle dove, common nightingale, Eurasian reed warbler, little egret and common kingfisher.[3]

It is a good area for invertebrates, notably dragonflies.[1]

Fishing

Coarse fishing is permitted at Frampton Pools.[5]

References
  1. "Natural England SSSI information on the citation". Natural England. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  2. "Stroud District Local Plan, adopted November 2005, Appendix 6 'Sites of Nature Conservation Interest'". Stroud District Council. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  3. Simon Harrap & Nigel Redman (2010). Where to Watch Birds in Britain Second Edition. A & C Black. pp. 293–295. ISBN 978-1408194195.
  4. "Funding for Frampton's wildlife". BBC. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  5. "Regional rod fishing byelaws: Severn Trent (Midlands)". Environment Agency. Retrieved 13 March 2020.

SSSI sources
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