Many of England's special sites (SSSIs) need improvement
The first definitive
survey of the condition of England's
legally protected wildlife + geological sites has been completed after six years by
English Nature, the Government's independent wildlife advisers, and results published in a report entitled
England’s best wildlife and geological sites:
the condition of sites of special scientific interest in England in 2003.
The survey involved the detailed assessment of
4,112 English
sites of special scientifici interest (
SSSIs), covering 1,050,708 ha (
2,596,000 acres), about
7% of England, and is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
Of the sites inspected,
58% of SSSIs by area were found to be in good condition, but
42% needed improvement, while
16% were classified as being in "
unfavourable + declining" condition.
The government has made a
commitment to ensure
95% of all SSSIs are in
favourable condition by 2010. However, the head of English Nature Dr. Andy Brown, has said that this will require
investment, alongside
changes to legislation and the
reform of environmentally-damaging policies.
The biggest threats to special sites are
overgrazing, inappropriate
moorland burning and
coastal management, and problems with
freshwater quality + quantity - in particular pollution from diffuse (hard to identify or multiple) sources.