GCN - Strategic Opportunity Areas (Northumberland, Durham, Tyne & Wear and Tees Valley)

This dataset identifies areas where the addition of new ponds would benefit Great Crested Newt populations. The core areas contain a pond density of 2+ ponds and are located within a 25x25m square where great crested newt presence has been predicted. Fringe areas contain a pond density of 1 and are located within a 25x25m square where great crested newt presence has been predicted or are within a 250m of a Core Area. Higher scores are associated with darker colouration and represent a greater presence of suitable habitat features: Distance from rivers 100 - 1250m Elevation 0 - 200m Distance from deciduous woodland 0 - 100m Density of arable 0 - 33% Distance from urban > 350m Density of grassland 10 - 60% Nearest pond 0 - 500m These suitable habitat features have been given a score of ‘1’. Presence of coniferous woodland Presence of heather Presence of acid grassland Have been given a score of -2 Urban areas greater than 2ha (+400m buffer), roads (7.5m) and rivers (7.5m) Attribution statement: © Natural England, 2021 Based upon LCM2015 © NERC (CEH) 2011. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright 2007. Based upon LCM2015 © NERC (CEH) 2017. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright 2007, Licence number 100017572. © European Environment Agency, Copernicus Programme 2016 Soils Data © Cranfield University (NSRI) and for the Controller of HMSO 2019. Based upon LCM2007 © NERC (CEH) 2011. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright 2007. © third party licensors. Contains, or is derived from, information supplied by the Ordnance Survey and Rural Payments Agency. © Crown copyright and database rights 2019. © Freshwater Habitats Trust, PondNet monitoring scheme 2018 Hartlepool Borough Council © Crown copyright and database rights 2020 Ordnance Survey 100023390 © Environmental Records Information Centre North East, 2020 North Tyneside Council © Crown copyright and database rights 2020; Northumberland National Park Authority © Crown copyright and database rights 2020; Durham County Council © Crown copyright and database rights 2020; Darlington Borough Council © Crown copyright and database rights 2019 Ordnance Survey 0100023729; Northumberland County Council © Crown copyright and database rights 2020; Newcastle City Council © Crown copyright and database rights 2020; Stockton on Tees Borough Council© Crown copyright and database rights 2020 Contains, or is derived from, information supplied by Ordnance Survey. © Crown copyright and database rights 2020 Ordnance Survey 100022021. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right, 2020