Protected Areas

One of our major responsibilities is to ensure the conservation and enhancement of habitats, species and landscapes. One mechanism to enable this is the system of 'protected' areas which operates on a UK and an international basis.

• Sitelink - Find out about sites designated for their natural heritage value across Scotland.

In Scotland protected areas form some 20 per cent of the land area. The main protected area designations are as follows:

• Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) -These sites are internationally important wetland sites protecting wildfowl habitat.

• NATURA Habitats and Birds Directives including amajor contribution by the European Community to implementing the Biodiversity Convention agreed by more than 150 countries at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

  • Special Protection Areas (SPA) These areas are of European importance for Wild Birds.
  • Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) These areas are of European importance for Wild Fauna and Flora. They range from sand dunes and forest to bogs and heath land.

• National Parks - The Parks have been established to deliver better management of some of Scotland’s most special areas of outstanding natural and cultural heritage. Includes Coastal & Marine National Parks

• Regional Parks - These Parks provide better management of large areas which are popular for informal recreation, close to the main urban centres.

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - These are exemplary places in Scotland for nature conservation. They are special for their plants or animals or habitat, their rocks or landforms or a combination of these. Designation is a legal process.
  Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004

• National Nature Reserves NNRs) - All of these sites are important nationally for nature, they are also designated SSSIs.

• National Scenic Areas (NSAs) - These sites are nationally important areas of outstanding natural beauty. They represent some of the best examples of Scotland's grandest landscapes, particularly lochs and mountains.

• Long Distance Routes - These routes provide several days walking on a continuous route through some of Scotland’s finest landscape.

• Country Parks - These Parks provide attractive venues for informal recreation and environmental education, close to the main urban centres.

• Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) - They are places with special local natural interest, set up to protect nature, and for people to enjoy and appreciate.

• Local Landscape Designations - a well-established and valued approach to protecting and guiding change in areas of particular landscape importance in Scotland

Natural Care

Natural Care is a new strategy for the management of SSSIs and has been developed by SNH in response to the Scottish Executive's 'Nature of Scotland' proposals. Details of existing Management Schemes are also available.