<h2>Hi</h2>

Protection for the dinosaur footprints frozen in time

19 Jan 2010 11:47 AM

Prehistoric prints to become England’s newest geological conservation site.

Natural England announced today (19th January 2010) that the dinosaur footprints and tracks at Ardley Trackways, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, have been notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, making it the first SSSI to be designated by Natural England for its geological features alone. There is now a four month period for public responses, following which Natural England’s Board will decide whether to confirm the designation.

Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: “Geological sites of this quality and importance are few and far between and we are delighted to give this important window on our past the protection that it so clearly deserves.”

Ardley Trackways contains an array of fossilised trackways formed 165 million years ago by a herd of Jurassic dinosaurs moving along part of an ancient shoreline. Footprints have been found from large, vegetarian dinosaurs related to Brontosaurus and also from carnivorous dinosaurs similar to Tyrannosaurus. The trackways were formed on a mudflat and the M40 motorway now runs alongside the area where the dinosaurs left their footprints. Such extensive and relatively complete dinosaur trackways are otherwise unknown in England and are very rare internationally. Research conducted over the last decade has revealed important information about these dinosaurs and even shed light on the speed at which the creatures were travelling.

It is now important to protect the trackways from exposure to the elements and damage from erosion and the decision by Natural England to designate the site will help secure its unique features for future generations to study and enjoy. Natural England is pleased to be working closely with the site owners and operators to ensure that the trackways are carefully preserved and made accessible for scientific study.

Helen Phillips concluded: “As a Site of Special Scientific Interest, these unique dinosaur footprints now join the ranks of England’s most important wildlife and geological conservation sites. It is important that we continue to look after internationally valuable resources of this type and protect such fascinating insights into our ancient past”.

Notes to Editors

About Ardley Trackways

  • There are 1,226 geological SSSIs in total in England and Ardley Trackways is the first purely geological site to have been designated by Natural England since it was formed in 2006.

  • Ardley Trackways SSSI consists of a series of working quarries near the village of Ardley, about 4km northwest of Bicester in Oxfordshire.

  • The quarries contain a succession of limestones, marls, clays and occasional sands that reach approximately 14 metres in thickness.

  • Fossils are frequent in many of the rocks. They include a variety of different bivalves, sea urchins, high-spired gastropods, and brachiopods. Occasional corals are also present, as are very rare ammonites and nautiloids.

  • The fossils and sediments suggest deposition in shallow, low energy, lagoons in a subtropical climate. These lagoons lay close to the shore of the London Landmass, and there is evidence that the bed on which the dinosaur trackways are preserved was very close to, if not part, of the coast of the London Landmass.

About Natural England

Natural England is the government’s independent advisor on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

  • We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserves are looked after and improved.

  • We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.

  • We run England’s Environmental Stewardship green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.

  • We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.

  • We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.

For further information contact: The National Press Office on 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk out of hours 07970 098005.

For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk