It was once part of the land held since the Middle Ages as a deer park by the archbishops of York (including Cardinal Wolsey) and the canons of Ripon.

The site incorporates the High Batts Nature Reserve, which is privately run for training, recording and educational purposes, and accessible to members only, except for its annual open day.

Ripon Parks forms part of a tranche of land owned by the Church since the 7th century, when the King of Northumbria – possibly Aldfrith – gave it the Liberty of St Wilfred.

Archbishop John Kemp of York claimed the fishing rights and the warren on this land in 1439; there had already been complaints of poaching there.

The Horseman's Lodge, next to the old fish ponds,[nb 1] was renamed Middle Parks, and it retains a Tudor wing.

"The habitat in all DTE North (East) training areas is carefully managed with the best interests of the flora and fauna given full consideration.

"[8] Ripon Parks is a 137.0013 hectares (1.370 km2; 0.5290 sq mi) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

[10] Its habitats are all river-related, and include calcareous grassland, pasture, ponds, marsh, scrub woodland, riverbanks and streams, besides the river itself.

[10] High Batts Nature Reserve is a privately run study resource, and part of Ripon Parks SSSI.

[13] Birds recorded at High Batts include: marsh tit, redpoll, siskin, great spotted woodpecker,[14] redwing, goldcrest and kingfisher.

Fungi include: birch polypore, candlesnuff, dead man's fingers, jelly ear and stump puffball.

There is also bird's eye primrose, saw-wort, marsh valerian (Valeriana dioica), and butterwort growing around bog rush.

[3] On calcareous grassland over Magnesian Limestone are felwort and yellow-wort, alongside the more common cowslip, wild thyme and salad burnet.

[3] In December 2017, members of Harrogate and District Naturalists' Society (HDNS) recorded yellowhammer, bullfinch, tree sparrow, goldfinch, redpoll, siskin, curlew, buzzard, peregrine falcon, mallard, pintail, goldeneye, goosander, wigeon, teal, tufted duck and a large murmuration of starling.

Among the wetlands invertebrates are the bug (Acompus rufipes), the saw-fly (Rhadinocera micans) and the local weevil, (Limnobaris pilistriata).

[19] The general principle of management of the river is to protect the wildlife habitat, which consists of the water channel, the riverbank and the vegetation upon it.

Exposed river sediment, collapsing banks and timber debris should be left undisturbed, as habitat for invertebrates and other biota.

When a pond becomes silted up, or choked with vegetation, it should be cleared or deepened in small sections to allow recovery at all times.

Ponds should be protected from spillages, pollution and entry of nutrients and silt, which would limit diversity of species, or even cause loss of most pondlife.

[19] Marshy grassland should be mowed annually, to prevent a prevalence of tall rushes and grasses with dead vegetation below, because this would limit growth of more delicate plants.

Annual light grazing by cattle, ponies or hill sheep, between late spring and early autumn, is recommended – although this should not be allowed to disturb marsh fritillary butterflies or nesting birds.

[19] The protected habitat sets within this lowland SSSI consist of broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland, neutral and calcareous grasslands, bogs, standing open water and canals, and rivers and streams.

This loophole meant that one 6.5 hectares (0.07 km2; 0.03 sq mi) calcareous grassland-and-marsh meadow on the site was rotovated and reseeded by a tenant farmer.

The damage happened because, in spite of a request by the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), the Property Services Agency (PSA) did not inform prospective tenants of the pending SSSI designation.

[24] In October 2016, North Yorkshire County Council published a document called Identification of areas of search for sand and gravel, which is intended to provide information which will assist the local authority to plan ahead until 2030 for land use with respect to sand and gravel quarrying, and its effect on the environment and people.

[27] The others are Bishop Monkton Ings,[28] Brimham Rocks,[29] Cow Myers,[30] Farnham Mires,[31] Hack Fall Wood,[32] Hay-a-Park,[33] Kirk Deighton[34] Mar Field Fen,[35] and Quarry Moor[36] Media related to Ripon Parks at Wikimedia Commons