Butterby Oxbow

Butterby Oxbow
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Oxbow lake at Low Butterby
Country England
Region North East
District Durham City
Location NZ275390
 - coordinates 54°44′44″N 1°34′25″W / 54.74556°N 1.57361°W / 54.74556; -1.57361Coordinates: 54°44′44″N 1°34′25″W / 54.74556°N 1.57361°W / 54.74556; -1.57361
Area 7.29 ha (18.01 acres)
Notification 1957
Management Natural England
Area of Search County Durham
Interest Biological
Map of England and Wales with a red dot representing the location of the Butterby Oxbow, Co Durham
Location of Butterby Oxbow, Co Durham
Website: Map of site

Butterby Oxbow is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Durham City district of County Durham, England. It consists of a former meander of the River Wear which was isolated from the main river in 1811 when, to reduce flooding in the area, a new channel was constructed across the neck of the meander.[1] It is located about 3 km south of the centre of Durham and 1.2 km north of the nearest village, Croxdale.

The site is notable for the succession series of swamp, fen and fen-carr which has developed and which is rarely found as a complete sequence in the county. It is locally important as a roosting and wintering area for wildfowl.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Griffiths, Benjamin M (February 1932). "The Ecology of Butterby Marsh, Durham". Journal of Ecology. 20 (1): 105–127. JSTOR 2255969. doi:10.2307/2255969.
  2. ↑ "Butterby Oxbow" (PDF). English Nature. 1985. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2010.


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