Habitats and Birds Directives

What are the Habitats and Birds Directives?

Scotland is home to many wonderful plants, animals and birds – some rare, endangered or vulnerable. By caring for these and other species, we can make an important contribution to conserving the world’s biodiversity.

The two most influential pieces of European legislation relating to nature conservation are the Habitats and Birds Directives.

The ‘Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora’ was adopted in 1992 and is commonly known as the Habitats Directive. It complements and amends the 1979 ‘Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds’, commonly known as the Birds Directive.

The Birds Directive protects all wild birds, their nests, eggs and habitats within the European Community. It gives EU member states the power and responsibility to classify Special Protection Areas (SPAs) to protect birds which are rare or vulnerable in Europe as well as all migratory birds which are regular visitors.

The Habitats Directive builds on the Birds Directive by protecting natural habitats and other species of wild plants and animals. Together with the Birds Directive, it underpins a European network of protected areas known as Natura 2000. This network includes SPAs classified under the Birds Directive and a new set of international nature conservation areas introduced by the Habitats Directive, Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).

The Habitats Directive is a major contribution by the European Community to implementing the Biodiversity Convention agreed by more than 150 countries at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. As well as establishing Natura 2000 areas, the Directive has a number of wider implications, such as those relating to European Protected Species. The Birds Directive also makes certain provisions for protection of wild birds in the wider countryside outwith protected areas.