Designated Sites for Nature Conservation
The types of designated sites for nature conservation that can be found in the UK and Ireland are given the table below.
Table 6: Designated Sites
| Site Type | International Protection | National Protection | Protection Type | Description |
| Ramsar Sites (All) |
Ramsar Convention | In E & W, have the same protection as SPAs and SACs by policy. | Statutory | Wetlands of international importance supporting wildfowl and other important species. |
| Special Protection Areas (SPAs) (All) |
Birds Directive | Regulations derived from the Habitats Directive | Statutory | Sites that support rare, vulnerable or large numbers of regularly occurring migratory bird species. SPAs are part of a network of European sites known as Natura 2000. |
| Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) (All) |
Habitats Directive | Regulations derived from the Habitats Directive | Statutory | High-quality conservation sites which make a significant contribution to conserving habitats and species threatened in Europe as a whole. Part of the Natura 2000 Network. |
| Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) (E, W & S) |
None, unless also designated Ramsar, SPA or SAC | Wildlife & Countryside Act and CRoW Act | Statutory | Representative samples of British habitats forming a national series aimed at maintaining the present diversity of wild plants and animals in Great Britain. |
| Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) (NI) |
As above | The Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 | Statutory | Areas of land that have been assessed as having the highest conservation value in Northern Ireland. |
| Natural Heritage Areas (I) |
As above | Wildlife Amendment Act (2000) | Statutory | Areas of land which are considered important for the habitats present or which hold species of plants and animals whose habitat needs protection. |
| National Nature Reserves (NNRs) (E, W & S) |
None | National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949; Wildlife & Countryside Act and CRoW Act | Statutory | Areas managed for study or research into flora, fauna, geological or physiographical interest, or for preserving features of special interest. Owned or leased by Natural England, bodies approved by them, or managed under agreement with landowners/occupiers. |
| Statutory Nature Reserves (Nature Reserves (NR) & National Nature Reserves (NNR)) (NI) |
None | The Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 | Statutory | Two tiers of nature reserve; NNRs are the top tier, representing sites of national importance, and NRs, which are of lesser importance but are primarily managed for nature conservation. |
| Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) (E, W, S) | None | National Parks & Access to the Countryside Act 1949; local planning documents and policies | Statutory | Concentrated in or around urban areas where a policy of using LNRs to promote conservation education has been pioneered. LNRs have local as opposed to national importance for nature conservation and the local authority must consult with the relevant SNCO before designation. |
| Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) (NI) | None | The Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985; Local planning documents and policies | Statutory | An area of land, designated by a district council, for the purposes of nature conservation or the study of wildlife or both. |
| Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) (E & W) | None | Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 | Statutory | Designated to protect areas of national importance for biodiversity within the marine environment. |
| Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (S) |
None | Marine Scotland Act 2009 | Statutory | As MCZs in England and Wales |
| Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) (NI) |
None | Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 | Statutory | As MCZs in England and Wales |
| County Wildlife Sites and other local designations (E, W, S & NI) |
None | Local planning documents and policies | Non-Statutory | Sites designated by Local Planning Authorities. They can be of significant value for nature conservation, especially in urban areas, although they do not have the legal protection afforded by statutory designations described previously. The term ‘Local Sites’ is now most commonly used for such sites. |
| Proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pNHA) (I) |
None | Local planning documents and policies | Non-Statutory | As above but sites which were proposed as NHAs following a review in 1995. However, these sites have not yet received formal statutory designation or protection. |
E = England, W = Wales, S = Scotland, NI = Northern Ireland, I = Republic of Ireland