Condition of protected sites is deteriorating, OEP finds

(by Karma Loveday)

Only one-third of sites that are meant to be protected for nature are now in ‘favourable condition’. That is among the findings from a Office of Environmental Protection (OEP) study into how the regulations covering Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are being put into practice.

The report, Review of implementation of laws for terrestrial and freshwater protected sites in England, also found that one in five sites that are in an ‘unfavourable condition’ are not improving or are deteriorating, and that work to designate further SSSIs has been slow and has now largely stalled.

OEP chair Dame Glenys Stacey said: “Protected sites represent a golden opportunity to drive nature’s recovery, but that opportunity is not being grasped as well as it must. We have found that the legislation itself is not the problem – it is not being implemented effectively, or at the pace and scale needed.”

The report identified four main reasons why the legislation is not delivering the intended outcomes: 

• Insufficient action from Government to drive progress.

• Insufficient investment to achieve outcomes.

• A lack of incentives and engagement for owners and occupiers of protected sites.

• Gaps in evidence to inform and underpin decision-making. 

The OEP made 15 recommendations for Defra, Natural England and other public authorities, and recognised that the achievement of positive environmental outcomes also relies on the actions of many private landowners and occupiers.

Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “SSSIs are becoming sites of chronic nature neglect… Protected nature sites make up just 8% of England and should be the backbone of efforts to recover nature. However, they are too few, too fragmented, and too neglected… there are too many examples where pollution and unsustainable development threaten endangered species and habitats.

“The OEP’s analysis is clear: the legislation is already in place, but implementation is failing. Urgent, coordinated action and investment are needed to unlock the full potential of England’s protected site network.”