Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI), Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and regionally important geological site (RIGS) are designations used by local authorities in the United Kingdom for sites of substantive local nature conservation and geological value. The

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United K ...

has recommended the generic term 'local site', which is divided into 'local wildlife site' and 'local geological site'. There are approximately 35,000 local sites, and according to the former Minister for Biodiversity, Jim Knight, they make a vital contribution to delivering the UK and

Local Biodiversity Action Plan In the United Kingdom a local biodiversity action plan (LBAP, pronounced 'ell-bap') is a plan aimed at conserving the fauna, flora and habitats – collectively referred to as biodiversity – of a defined area, usually along local authority bound ...

s and the Geodiversity Action Plan, as well as maintaining local natural character and distinctiveness. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and local nature reserves (LNRs) have statutory protection, but they are only intended to cover a representative selection of sites, and Local sites are intended to provide comprehensive coverage of sites of nature conservation value. Local sites do not have statutory protection (unless they are also SSSIs or LNRs), but local authorities are expected to take account of the need to protect them in deciding their planning and development policies.

Selection methodology

Local sites are designated by local authorities in cooperation with

Wildlife Trusts The Wildlife Trusts, the trading name of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, is an organisation made up of 46 local Wildlife Trusts in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and Alderney. The Wildlife Trusts, between them, look after more than 2, ...

RIGS Groups RIGS may refer to: * Regionally Important Geological Site Regionally important geological and geomorphological sites (RIGS) (also known as regionally important geological sites or, especially in Wales, regionally important geodiversity sites) are l ...

Geology Trusts Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Eart ...

, or their equivalents. For example, in Kent, local wildlife sites are identified by the Kent Wildlife Trust). Selection is objective and is normally based upon a recent survey specifically designed for SNCI, but selection on the basis of existing, published information may also occur. The approach is similar to that used for the selection of biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), but the thresholds are lower. Selection is primarily for habitats of inherent wildlife interest, but some sites may be selected for supporting rare or scarce species of plants or animals outside such habitats. The areas concerned may be areas of 'natural' habitats, or they may be man-made – for example, the West Norwood Cemetery is designated a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation by the

London Borough of Lambeth Lambeth () is a London boroughs, London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as ''Lambehitha'' ("landing place for lambs") and in 1255 as ''Lambeth''. The geographical centre of London ...

Once identified, designation and protection of the areas are done by local authorities through planning policies in their development plans. National government guidance (

PPS 9 Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation commonly abbreviated as PPS9, was a document produced by the British Government to advise Local planning authorities on planning policies for the protection of biodiversity a ...

) requires all development plans to include such policies. The variation in names for the designation reflects its separate existence in the different development plans for different areas. In some areas, the designation is subdivided, or additional, more local designations are also used. For example, in

Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness, the state of being great *Greater than, in inequality (mathematics), inequality *Greater (film), ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film *Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record *Greater (song), "Greate ...

SINCs are divided into the following grades: * Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation * Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation (Grade I and Grade II) * Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation

References

External links

*
Greenspace Information for Greater London, a database which covers most publicly accessible London SINCs
* *{{cite web, title=Wildlife Sites Guidance Wales, url=http://www.biodiversitywales.org.uk/File/165/en-GB, publisher=Wales Biodiversity Partnership, date=February 2008 Nature reserves in the United Kingdom Protected areas of the United Kingdom

Selection methodology

See also

References

External links