Cumbria has 25,000 hectares of protected land, 278 Special Sites of Scientific Interest and 104 nature reserves. Cumbria Wildlife Trust alone has 40 nature reserves that it protects and enhances for wildlife. Cumbria is important for wildlife because of the wide variety of habitats in the county. Cumbria contains all the highest mountains in England and all the big natural lakes. The only limestone pavement in the world is found in UK and Ireland - a third of England’s limestone pavement is in Cumbria.