Conservation in the United Kingdom

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Conservation area signage in Carlton, Cambridgeshire. Conservation Area Sign - geograph.org.uk - 3042604.jpg
Conservation area signage in Carlton, Cambridgeshire.

This page gives an overview of the complex structure of environmental and cultural conservation in the United Kingdom .

Contents

With the advent of devolved government for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and of evolving regional government for England, the responsibilities for environment and conservation in the United Kingdom have become more complicated.[ weasel words ][ how? ]

There follows a list of the legislation, conservation bodies (both governmental and otherwise), and conservation designations, which work together to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the UK. A list of 'objects of conservation' provides further links.

Legislation

Conservation area in Lytham St Annes. Conservation area, Lytham St Annes - DSC07136.JPG
Conservation area in Lytham St Annes.

Some of the key legislation which governs conservation issues in the UK. This list is not exhaustive.

Conservation bodies

Government departments

Governmental bodies

The following are Executive Agencies of the UK government and regional executives, with note on their areas of responsibility.

United Kingdom

England

Scotland

The following are Public bodies of the Scottish Government, with notes on their areas of responsibility.

Wales

  • Cadw cultural and built heritage
  • Natural Resources Wales (NRW) (formerly Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission Wales and Environment Agency Wales) protection of landscapes and rural countryside, regulation of waterways, pollution, waste management

Northern Ireland

Non-governmental organisations

Conservation designations

National parks

Areas designated by government agencies

The following designations are established or monitored by the executive agencies listed above.

DesignationAbbreviationCountryAgency
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty AONB England Natural England
Wales NRW
Northern Ireland NIEA
Environmentally sensitive area ESA England Natural England
Heritage coast England Natural England
Wales NRW
Marine nature reserve MNR
National nature reserve NNR England Natural England
Scotland NatureScot
Wales NRW
Northern Ireland NIEA
National scenic area NSA Scotland NatureScot
Nitrate vulnerable zone NVZ England Environment Agency
Scheduled monument SAM England Historic England
Scotland Historic Environment Scotland
Wales Cadw
Northern Ireland NIEA
Site of Special Scientific Interest SSSI England Natural England
Scotland NatureScot
Wales NRW
Northern Ireland NIEA
Special landscape area SLA Wales NRW

Other United Kingdom conservation designations

International conservation designations

Other United Kingdom conservation policies

Objects of conservation

United Kingdom

England

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Site of Special Scientific Interest</span> Protected area in the United Kingdom

A site of special scientific interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an area of special scientific interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man. SSSI/ASSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them, including national nature reserves, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation. The acronym "SSSI" is often pronounced "triple-S I".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scheduled monument</span> Legally protected archaeological site or historic building in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Nature</span> Former UK government conservation agency

English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006. It was a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and gave statutory advice, grants and issued licences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National nature reserve (United Kingdom)</span>

Some statutory nature reserves are designated by national bodies in the United Kingdom, and are known as national nature reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadw</span> Welsh Government historic environment service

Cadw is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. Cadw works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage sites of Wales, to make them available for the public to visit, enjoy, and understand their significance. Cadw manages 127 state-owned properties and sites. It arranges events at its managed properties, provides lectures and teaching sessions, offers heritage walks, and hosts an online shop. Members of the public can become members of Cadw to gain membership privileges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species, controls the release of non-native species, enhances the protection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and builds upon the rights of way rules in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Act is split into 4 parts covering 74 sections; it also includes 17 schedules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listed building</span> Protected historic structure in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural and/or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, Cadw in Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland. The classification schemes differ between England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The term has also been used in the Republic of Ireland, where buildings are protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000, although the statutory term in Ireland is "protected structure."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs</span> Ministerial department of the UK Government

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the entire United Kingdom. Concordats set out agreed frameworks for co operation, between it and the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive, which have devolved responsibilities for these matters in their respective nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National parks of the United Kingdom</span> Areas of landscape in the United Kingdom

National parks of the United Kingdom are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape across the country. Despite their name, they are quite different from national parks in many other countries, which are usually owned and managed by governments as protected community resources, and which do not usually include permanent human communities. In the United Kingdom, an area designated as a national park may include substantial settlements and human land uses that are often integral parts of the landscape. Land within national parks remains largely in private ownership. These parks are therefore not "national parks" according to the internationally accepted standard of the IUCN but they are areas of outstanding landscape where planning controls are a little more restrictive than elsewhere.

Local nature reserve (LNR) is a statutory designation for certain nature reserves in Great Britain. The Wild Life Conservation Special Committee established them and proposed a national suite of protected areas comprising national nature reserves, conservation areas, national parks, geological monuments, local nature reserves and local educational nature reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nature Conservancy Council</span> Former public government body in the UK with responsibility for national nature reserves

The Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) was a United Kingdom government agency responsible for designating and managing National Nature Reserves and other nature conservation areas in Great Britain between 1973 and 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of the United Kingdom</span> Overview of and topical guide to the United Kingdom

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United Kingdom:

Historic England is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked with protecting the historic environment of England by preserving and listing historic buildings, scheduling ancient monuments, registering historic parks and gardens and by advising central and local government.

Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link) is the largest environment and wildlife coalition in England, bringing together voluntary organisations in the UK to protect wildlife, restore landscapes and the marine environment and improve access to nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right of way (public throughway)</span> Legal right to pass through land belonging to another

In the context of thoroughfares, a right of way is a legal term used for the right to cross lands belonging to another or others. In some cases this right is legally defined as an easement by prescription or in more general legislation such as the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 in England and Wales. The right may be limited to pedestrians only, or extended to pedestrians, horse-riders and cyclists.

Since 2017, the Woodland Trust has led 70 United Kingdom organizations in the call for a Charter for Trees, Woods and People.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of Scotland</span> Designated area for protection in Scotland

Many parts of Scotland are protected in accordance with a number of national and international designations because of their environmental, historical or cultural value. Protected areas can be divided according to the type of resource which each seeks to protect. NatureScot has various roles in the delivery of many environmental designations in Scotland, i.e. those aimed at protecting flora and fauna, scenic qualities and geological features. Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designations that protect sites of historic and cultural importance. Some international designations, such as World Heritage Sites, can cover both categories of site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation in Scotland</span>

This article gives an overview of the structure of environmental and cultural conservation in Scotland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom.

References

  1. "Environment and Forestry Directorate". Scottish Government. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Forestry devolution: resource list". Scottish Government. 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  3. Forestry England

Further reading