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England
The most important wildlife sites in England are protected through a series of national and international designations.
Nationally important places for wildlife are notified by Natural England, the UK government's statutory body for nature conservation in England, as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This Act was recently strengthened through Part III of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The Act provides for the protection and positive management of SSSIs; sites may only be damaged or destroyed under very specific circumstances.
Currently, there are some 4,088 SSSIs in England, managed by over 26,000 owners and occupiers, covering about 8% of the country. More information about the SSSI network in England is available from the English Nature website.
The RSPB works to protect England's special wildlife places from damage and improve their management. We are now lobbying for the creation of a network of nationally important marine protected areas. Wildlife does not recognise national boundaries, and two European Union Directives and several international Conventions require the protection of internationally important species and habitats.