Why is sssi important

All national nature reserves are also notified as SSSIs. In SSSIs, certain activities are prohibited and there are legal duties concerning how the areas should be managed and protected. UKELA is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. When land becomes an SSSI , it does not give the public the right to access your land. Natural England will write to you and tell you if it believes your land has special conservation value.

Natural England is likely to call you to discuss this before sending a notification letter. You have 4 months to write to Natural England to tell them what you think or to object to the designation of your land as an SSSI. The Natural England board decides whether to confirm or withdraw a notification. It has a 4-month consultation period to look at the objections and issues raised. They are independent of Natural England staff and the executive board.

Natural England will consult with you in a similar way as a new notification if it makes a change to an existing notification. Sites that have been illegally damaged, or suffered from neglect, will not be de-notified.

You have the opportunity to repair the damage using the enforcement undertaking process. Email ProtectedSites naturalengland. Process for a quick check service has changed from submitting a final notice for consent to submitting a draft proposal for checking. Details of where to send a consent notice form has changed. Improved the wording in the 'Decisions on applications for consent' section to make it clear when you'll get a response.

Added section 'Obtain free or charged advice from Natural England' following the introduction of a chargeable advice service for protected sites consents. Check what you need to do. To help us improve GOV. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Cookies on GOV. UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Accept additional cookies Reject additional cookies View cookies.

Hide this message. Home Land management. Guidance Sites of special scientific interest: managing your land. Print this page. Drag the map to your location using your mouse or mouse pad. Pay for standard advice You can pay for extra advice from Natural England if what you want to do is more complicated.

Natural England can: help you review your survey results advise on your mitigation strategies to reduce damage to the environment advise on drafting your consent application help if you need advice quickly in less than 28 working days help if you need complex advice to meet a defined deadline Contact Natural England as soon as possible if you need advice quickly. However, a significant number of sites will require a period of more than ten years before natural habitats are fully re-established.

This recovery period is influenced by the nature of the habitat and the degree of past disturbance. In the case of blanket bog, many areas will take a further 40 to 50 years to reach a favourable state.

While a steady improvement in the condition of SSSI can be expected, significant challenges also exist in maintaining the status of many sites in a favourable or recovering condition. An analysis of the key pressures on these sites reveals that , hectares, or 19 per cent of SSSIs may be at risk of moving into declining condition.

The most significant risk is to sites that are currently under no management agreement and are, therefore, susceptible to falling into neglect. Local communities taking action is the most effective way to protect woods and trees. Need help? Check out our useful resources.

SSSI definition: what is it and what does it mean for conservation and development? Volunteer content writer. Why have SSSIs? How many SSSIs are there? The UK has thousands of these important sites. England has over 4, sites covering more than 4, square miles. Over half of this area is internationally important for wildlife. Can I see these special sites for myself? Ashenbank Wood, Cobham, Kent This wood is included in the Shorne and Ashenbank SSSI due to its deadwood habitat, veteran trees and open ground habitat — areas more exposed to wind, rain and light.

Ledmore Oakwood - the largest natural oak wood in the north east of Scotland Migdale Pinewood — beautiful native Caledonian pinewood Spinningdale Bog — the largest remaining valley bog in the north east of Scotland. Lang Craigs, Dumbarton, West Scotland This mix of ancient woodland, sheltered glens and rugged moorland lies in a spectacular setting at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills.

Visiting woods. Go exploring Primordial landscapes, tangled branches, breathtaking wildlife and miles of woodland trails.