Natural England

21 November 2008

Natural England welcomes today’s report by the National Audit Office (NAO) on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and on progress towards the target to bring 95% of these top wildlife sites in England into favourable or recovering condition by December 2010.

The report highlights the improvement in the fortunes of SSSIs in recent years. Natural England is pleased at the NAO’s acknowledgement that there are realistic plans in place to achieve the 2010 target and remains committed to ensuring that the 2010 target is delivered on time.

At the end of March 2008, 83% of the land area of SSSIs was in favourable or recovering condition. This is a very significant achievement given the situation that existed only five years ago when the figure was at 57% - during the last year alone (to March 2008), over 78,000 hectares were returned to target condition.

While reporting on the encouraging progress made to date, the National Audit Office has made various recommendations on how Natural England should be recording and planning its work for improving SSSIs. Natural England will now consider carefully the NAO’s findings and how they can be incorporated into its current work plans.

The 4,114 SSSIs in England cover over 1 million hectares, designated as special for their habitats, wildlife or geology. Since 1949, they have formed a vital network for wildlife and geological conservation and it is clear that delivery of the 2010 target is fundamental to maintaining the diversity of wildlife and geology in England. SSSIs also have an important role to play in maintaining water quality, flood alleviation, carbon storage and air quality.

Helen Phillips, continued: “SSSIs are of vital importance to biodiversity in England and after much hard work and investment, they are now in a better state than they have been for years. However, all too often they remain isolated pockets of wildlife richness in a wider countryside where biodiversity is diminishing.

“To guarantee the long term survival of our wildlife and build in resilience to climate change, we need to address the environmental health of entire landscapes, focusing on wide-scale restoration of habitats and ecosystems. Beyond 2010, work to secure the long term health of the countryside must move beyond the confines of small reserves and ensure that wider land management has the care of the natural environment at its heart.”

Some of the sites that have been brought into recovery this year and the habitats and species that have benefited are:

• In the East Midlands - over 15,000ha of the Wash SSSI have been improved through the agreement of a sustainable fishing policy with Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee. Here, the inter-tidal mudflat and saltmarsh support internationally important migrant populations of wildfowl and waders.
• In the South West - around 100ha of Minchinhampton Common in the Cotswolds have been improved through partnership work with the National Trust using Higher Level Stewardship (HLS). This site is important for the lowland chalk grassland BAP. It is a BAP priority habitat and important for its geological interest and educational value, particularly for the study of fossils. It is also home to a variety of important BAP species such as the Marsh Fritillary and Small blue butterflies and the Greater Horseshoe Bat.
• In the South-East - 4,000ha of the New Forest have been improved through agreeing the long-term management of the site with the National Park, Forestry Commission and land managers. The site supports all 6 native British reptiles (some of which are BAP species), 9 nationally rare plants and is considered one of the best sites in England for dragonflies.
• In the North East - Around 3,600ha of Bowes Moor in County Durham have been improved through an HLS agreement with shooting and grazing interests on the moor. This site has extensive tracts of blanket bog and upland heathland, both BAP priority habitats, supporting populations of breeding birds such as golden plover, curlew, snipe, lapwing, merlin and short-eared owl. Improved management of peat bogs like this also helps prevent soil erosion and maintain carbon balance, a factor affecting climate change.
• In East Midlands - 8,000ha of upland moorland are back in recovery through our work with water companies, the National Trust, Peak District National Park and the Environment Agency. Our work on SSSIs here is also delivering a restored National Park landscape, a more enjoyable and interesting experience for millions of people, better water quality, improved carbon storage and potentially better regulation of future flood events.