Abstract from Research Report No. 429

G.J. Conway, H.Q.P. Crick, R.J. Fuller, M. Handschuh, I.M.D. Maclean, J.H. Marchant, A.J. Musgrove, S.E. Newson, D.G. Noble, M.M. Rehfisch & R.M. Thewlis (2006)

Coverage of designated Sites in England by BTO Bird Monitoring Schemes: A Review to 2005 ISBN 978-1-906204-16-7

1 INTRODUCTION

A primary responsibility of the statutory nature conservation agencies in the UK is the identification and protection of a series of sites intended to conserve important wildlife and geological features. Such sites may be designated under national legislation (Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Britain and Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) in Northern Ireland), by European Directive (Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs)), or through international conventions (Ramsar sites).

The special interest features that can lead to the designation of a site are assessed according to published selection guidelines, such as those for biological SSSIs (Nature Conservancy Council 1989). The particular qualities for which each site has been designated are recorded at the time of notification and, for many sites, are a complex mixture of species, habitats and earth-science features. Once sites have been notified, the country agencies work with owners, occupiers and others to secure their management and protection. There is no mechanism for the denotification of SSSIs. A substantial proportion of each agency’s resources is devoted to the selection, management and protection of statutory sites.

Back to Research Reports 345 onwards