Apart from limestone pavements, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are the only geological sites protected by law (statutory sites). The term applies to areas of land that have been notified under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as being of ‘special interest by reason of any of its flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features’. They are administered by the relevant national nature conservation agency (Natural England in England). All of the geological SSSIs in the North Yorkshire Geodiversity Partnership Area are GCR sites, and the larger SSSIs include several GCR sites e.g. Malham and Arncliffe with 5, and Ingleborough with 3. There are 56 geological SSSIs in the North Yorkshire Geodiversity Partnership Area, 41 in the Your Dales Rocks Project Area, and 15 in the Vale of York Project Area.
Map: Geological SSSIs in the Your Dales Rocks Project Area
Map: Geological SSSIs in the Vale of York Project Area
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within the Your Dales Rocks Project Area.
Note that those labelled as geological also contain biological SSSIs.