Editing East Midlands (section)

==Physical features==
The highest point at {{convert|636|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} is [[Kinder Scout]], in the [[Peak District]] of the southern [[Pennines]] in northwest [[Derbyshire]] near [[Glossop]]. Other hilly areas of {{convert|95|to|280|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in altitude, together with lakes and reservoirs, rise in and around the [[Charnwood Forest]] north of [[Peterborough]], [[Leicester]], and in the [[Lincolnshire Wolds]].{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

The region's major rivers, the [[River Nene|Nene]], the [[River Soar|Soar]], the [[River Trent|Trent]], and the [[River Welland|Welland]], flow in a northeasterly direction towards the [[Humber]] and [[the Wash]]. The [[River Derwent, Derbyshire|Derwent]], conversely, rises in the High Peak before flowing south to join the Trent some {{convert|2|mi|km|0}} before its conflux with the Soar,{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} and the [[River Witham|Witham]] flows in an arch, first north to [[Lincoln, England|Lincoln]] before heading south to the Wash.

[[File:Forbidding Office Building - geograph.org.uk - 1363225.jpg|thumb|right|Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, next to the Trent, and Waitrose, in Newark-on-Trent]]
The centre of the East Midlands area lies roughly between [[Bingham, Nottinghamshire|Bingham]], Nottinghamshire and [[Bottesford, Leicestershire|Bottesford]], Leicestershire. The [[Centre points of the United Kingdom|geographical centre of England]] lies in [[Higham on the Hill]] in west [[Leicestershire]], close to the boundary between the Leicestershire and Warwickshire. Some 88 per cent of the land is rural in character, although agriculture accounts for less than three per cent of the region's jobs.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

Church Flatts Farm in [[Coton in the Elms]], South Derbyshire, is the furthest place from the sea in the UK ({{convert|70|mi|km|disp=semicolon}}). In April 1936 the first [[Ordnance Survey]] [[Triangulation station|trig point]] was sited at [[Cold Ashby]] in [[Northamptonshire]]. The [[Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts]] and [[The Wildlife Trusts]] are based next to the River Trent and Newark Castle railway station. The [[National Centre for Earth Observation]] is at the University of Leicester.

===Geology===
The region is home to large quantities of [[limestone]], and the [[East Midlands Oil Province]]. [[Charnwood Forest]] is noted for its abundant levels of volcanic rock, estimated to be approximately 600&nbsp;million years old.<ref>{{cite book |last1=French |first1=Dan |title=Walk Britain: the handbook and accommodation guide of the Ramblers' Association |publisher=Ramblers' Association |isbn=9781901184679 |page=143 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TOi5D3J2HwAC |year=2004}}</ref>

A quarter of the UK's [[cement]] is manufactured in the region, at three sites in [[Hope, Derbyshire|Hope]] and [[Tunstead, Derbyshire|Tunstead]] in Derbyshire, and [[Ketton Cement Works]] in [[Rutland]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.emgs.org.uk/ |title=East Midlands Geological Society |access-date=26 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505071656/http://www.emgs.org.uk/ |archive-date=5 May 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Of the [[Construction aggregate|aggregates]] produced in the region, 25 per cent are from Derbyshire and four per cent from Leicestershire. Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire each produce around 30 per cent of the region's [[Sand mining|sand]] and [[Gravel pit|gravel]] output.<ref>{{cite web 
|title=East midlands aggregates working party: annual report 2012 
|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285532/East_midlands_aggregates_working_party_-_Annual_report_2012.pdf 
|website=www.gov.uk 
|access-date=27 December 2016 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227130906/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285532/East_midlands_aggregates_working_party_-_Annual_report_2012.pdf 
|archive-date=27 December 2016 
|url-status=live 
}}</ref>

[[Barwell]] in Leicestershire was the site of Britain's largest [[meteorite]] ({{convert|7|kg|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}) on 24 December 1965. The [[2008 Lincolnshire earthquake]] was 5.2 in [[moment magnitude|magnitude]].

===Environment===
Areas of the East Midlands designated by the East Midlands Biodiversity Partnership as Biodiversity Conservation Areas include:<ref name="Biodiversity Partnerships">[http://www.embiodiversity.org.uk Biodiversity Partnerships] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328060852/http://www.embiodiversity.org.uk/ |date=28 March 2012 }}</ref>
*[[Charnwood Forest]]
*[[Coversand Heaths]]
*Derbyshire Peak Fringe and Lower Derwent
*[[Humberhead Levels]]
*Leighland Forest
*The Lincolnshire Limewoods and Heaths
*The [[Lincolnshire coast]]
*The [[Peak District]]
*[[Rockingham Forest]]
*[[Sherwood Forest]]
*[[Rutland]], SW [[Lincolnshire]] and N [[Northamptonshire]]
*[[The Wash]]

[[File:Image-Major Oak in Sherwood Forest in 2006 (2).jpg|thumb|220px|[[Major Oak]] in Sherwood Forest, a traditional landmark of the north-east Midlands]]

Areas of the East Midlands designated by the East Midlands Biodiversity Partnership as [[Biodiversity Enhancement Areas]] include:<ref name="Biodiversity Partnerships"/>
*The [[Coalfields]]
*The [[Daventry Grasslands]]
*[[The Fens]]
*The [[Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes]]
*The [[Lincolnshire Wolds]]
*The [[National Forest, England|National Forest]]
*The [[Yardley-Whittlewood Ridge]]

Two of the nationally designated [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty|Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] are:{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}
*The [[Peak District]]
*The [[Lincolnshire Wolds]]

===Forestry===
Several towns in the southern part of the region, including Market Harborough, Desborough, Rothwell, Corby, Kettering, Thrapston, Oundle and Stamford, lie within the boundaries of what was once [[Rockingham Forest]] – designated a [[royal forest]] by [[William the Conqueror]] and was long hunted by English kings and queens.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

The [[The National Forest (England)|National Forest]] is an environmental project in central England run by The National Forest Company. Areas of north Leicestershire, south Derbyshire and south-east Staffordshire covering around {{convert|200|mi2|km2 ha}} are being planted in an attempt to blend ancient woodland with new plantings. It stretches from the western outskirts of Leicester in the east to Burton upon Trent in the west, and is planned to link the ancient forests of Needwood and Charnwood.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Forest|url=https://www.nationalforest.org/visit/where-we-are|website=The National Forest|access-date=1 June 2020}}</ref>

[[Sherwood Forest]] in Nottinghamshire attracts many visitors, and is perhaps best known for its ties with the legend of [[Robin Hood]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood and Major Oak |url=http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/planning-and-environment/country-parks/sherwood-forest/history-of-sherwood-forest-robin-hood-and-major-oak |publisher=Nottinghamshire County Council |access-date=15 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914123527/http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/planning-and-environment/country-parks/sherwood-forest/history-of-sherwood-forest-robin-hood-and-major-oak |archive-date=14 September 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>