In Cumbria non-statutory wildlife sites of at least county importance are referred to as County Wildlife Sites (CWS). Please be aware that different counties may use other names to refer to such sites; some common terms used in different parts of the country include Local Wildlife Sites, Sites of Biological Importance (SBI), Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), Biological Heritage Sites, Sites of Nature Conservation Value. They all refer to the same type of non-statutory site.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust manages Cumbria’s CWS system on behalf of the Cumbria Local Sites Partnership. However, Tullie House Museum in its role as the Cumbria Local Record Centre now deals with County Wildlife Site data requests; if you are a consultant, student or member of the public please contact Tullie House Museum (details given below) for site information and data searches.  Landowners should continue to contact The County Wildlife Sites officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust (please see the Information For Landowners page for contact details).

The full guidelines used for selecting sites are available for download below. Our “Information for landowners” leaflet many also be of interest.

Download - Guidelines for selection of County Wildlife Sites document

Download - Information for landowners leaflet 

Information regarding statutory sites (i.e. SSSI, SPA, SAC, NNR, LNR, Ramsar) can be accessed via Natural England's website, Nature on the Map and MAGIC. For species records (protected or other) across the county please get directly in touch with Tullie House Museum who manage the Cumbria Local Records Centre. Full contact details for both organisations are listed at the bottom of this page.

• For information regarding statutory sites in Cumbria contact:

Natural England, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Rd, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 7RL
Tel: 01539 792800
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• For County Wildlife Sites, data requests and information regarding species records in Cumbria contact:

Natural Sciences Section, Tullie House Museum, Castle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TP
Tel: 01228 618770 ext. 288.
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