UK: Sites of special scientific interest

United Kingdom

The outcome of the consultation exercise, “Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Better Protection and Management” published in September 1998, sets out how the Government proposes to secure the sustainable management of SSSIs. There were over 560 responses to the consultation exercise, over a quarter coming from local authorities. The majority of respondents accepted that SSSIs should be regarded as being of national importance, although some questioned whether all existing sites met this criterion. The need for legislative measures was welcomed, to be accompanied by a range of secondary legislation and administrative, policy and financial changes. (DETR, August 1999)