National nature reserves in England were established by English Nature, now Natural England, which manages them either directly or through non-governmental organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds or the National Trust.
There are 25 national nature reserves in Cumbria, including the large Moor House-Upper Teesdale reserve which is shared with County Durham.
All national nature reserves include all or part of a named Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Moor House-Upper Teesdale is also a Biosphere reserve.
Types of habitat
Wetlands
A number of the reserves are bogs (often called "moss" in local dialect), a type of habit which the European Union is keen to protect. Bassenthwaite Lake, one of the largest lakes in the English Lake District, is a habitat for the Osprey.
Limestone pavements
Whitbarrow and Park Wood are limestone habitats.
List
Bassenthwaite Lake
Blelham Bog
Clawthorpe Fell
Cliburn Moss
Drumburgh Moss
Duddon Mosses
Finglandrigg Woods
Gowk Bank
Great Asby Scar
Hallsenna Moor
High Leys
Moor House-Upper Teesdale
North Fen
North Walney
Park Wood
Roudsea Wood & Mosses
Rusland Moss
Sandscale Haws
Sandybeck Meadow
Smardale Gill
South Solway Mosses(Bowness Common, Glasson Moss, Wedholme Flow SSSI's) Tarn Moss Thornhill Moss and Meadows Walton Moss Whitbarrow