These habitats provide opportunities for many different animal species as well as access and recreation opportunities for local residents.
There is a great variety of marine animals that can be spotted in and around Plymouth. Offshore, protected species include pink sea fan, common dolphin, sea horses and basking shark.
To explore more of the different species that are found in and around Plymouth, please follow the link to the Plymouth Council website:
www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/environmentandplanning/naturalenvironment/greenspace/greenspacesssi.htm
Plymouth has 23 County Wildlife Sites (CWS), 8 Local Nature Reserves(LNR), 8 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), 28 parks and numerous other spaces for nature. Habitats within these sites include woodland, grassland, hedgerows, cliffs, quarries, marshes, lakes, estuaries and marine habitats. Not all of these sites are accessible to the public for a variety of reasons.
SSSIs are the country's very best wildlife and geological sites. They include some of our most spectacular and beautiful habitats. Natural England works with more than 26,000 separate owners and land managers to conserve these important sites. There are three ecological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Plymouth:
