Habitats directive

The EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (The Birds Directive, 79/409/EEC) and the EC Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Flora and Fauna (The Habitats Directive, 92/43/EEC) establish a legislative framework for protecting and conserving Europe's wildlife and habitats.

Visit: further guidance on European Protected Species in Welsh forests (external link)

The directives implement in Community law the requirements of the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species and the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. The Conservation (Natural Habitats & c) Regulations 1994 (the Habitats Regulations) transposed the requirements of these Directives into national law in Great Britain.

At the centre of the policy is the creation of a coherent ecological network of protected areas across the EU - known as NATURA 2000 for habitats and species considered to be of outstanding international significance and therefore of importance to the maintenance of biodiversity in the European Union. Its purpose is to maintain or restore the habitats and species at a favourable conservation status in their natural range. The network will comprise:

• Special Protection Areas (SPAs): To conserve the birds listed in Annex 1 of the Birds Directive as well as migratory birds
   
  
• Special Areas of Conservation (SACs): To conserve the habitat types and animal and plant species listed under the Habitats Directive

SPAs are classified by the National Assembly and lists forwarded to the Commission via the UK Government. For SACs the National Assembly propose candidate SACs and forward lists to the Commission. The Commission decides in consultation with member states which sites from both lists should be regarded as Sites of Community Importance (SCIs)

Once a site is adopted as an SCI, Member States are required to designate it as a Special Area of Conservation. Proposed SACs and SPAs are recommended to government by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the country nature conservation agencies. In Wales this is the Countryside Council for Wales. Public consultations are held before sites are submitted to the European Commission.

Visit: Joint Nature Conservation Committee (external link)

Visit: Countryside Council for Wales (external link)