Conservation in the United Kingdom
Categories: Conservation in the United Kingdom
This page gives an overview of the complex structure of environmental and cultural conservation in the United Kingdom.
With the advent of devolved government for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and of evolving regional government for England, the responsibilities for environment and conservation in the United Kingdom have become more complicated.
There follows a list of the legislation, conservation bodies (both governmental and otherwise), and conservation designations, which work together to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the UK. A list of 'objects of conservation' provides further links.
Contents |
Legislation
Some of the key legislation which governs conservation issues in the UK. This list is not exhaustive.
- National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
- Weeds Act 1959
- Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979
- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- Environmental Protection Act 1990
- Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
- Badgers Act 1991
- Protection of Badgers Act 1992
- Environment Act 1995
- Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
Conservation Bodies
Government Departments
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
- Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD)
Governmental Bodies
The following are Executive Agencies of the UK government and regional executives, with note on their areas of responsibility.
UK
- Forestry Commission - Forestry management
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee - co-ordination of regional bodies
England
- English Nature - nature and wildlife conservation
- English Heritage - cultural and built heritage
- Environment Agency - waterways, pollution, waste management
- Countryside Agency - protection of landscapes and rural countryside
- Rural Development Service (RDS) - promotes sustainable rural practices
By 2007, English Nature will be merged with parts of the Countryside Agency and the RDS to form Natural England.
Scotland
- Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) - landscape protection, wildlife conservation
- Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) - waterways, pollution, waste management
- Historic Scotland - cultural and built heritage
Wales
- Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) - protection of landscapes and rural countryside
- Cadw - cultural and built heritage
- Environment Agency - waterways, pollution, waste management
Northern Ireland
- Environment and Heritage Service (EHSNI) - conservation of natural and built heritage
- Forest Service Northern Ireland
Non-governmental organisations
- British Dragonfly Society
- British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)
- British Waterfowl Association
- British Waterways
- Cam Valley Wildlife Group
- Civic Trust
- Civic Trust for Wales
- Council for British Archaeology
- Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE)
- Environment Wales
- Historic Houses Association
- Institute of Conservation
- Marine Conservation Society
- National Gardens Scheme
- National Trust (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
- National Trust for Scotland
- North East Civic Trust
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
- Scottish Civic Trust
- Scottish Forest Alliance
- Scottish Wildlife Trust
- Trinity House
- Ulster Wildlife Trust
- The Welsh Wildlife Trusts
- Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT)
- The Wildlife Trusts partnership links to every county Wildlife Trust
- The Woodland Trust
Conservation Designations
National Parks
Areas Designated by Government Agencies
The following designations are established or monitored by the Executive Agencies listed above.
Other UK Conservation designations
- Area of Archaeological Importance
- Area of High Archaeological Potential
- Conservation Area
- Country park
- Green Belt
- Listed building
- Local Nature Reserve
- Regional Park (UK)
- Scheduled Ancient Monument
International Conservation Designations
- Biosphere Reserves
- Ramsar Sites
- Special Protection Area (SPA)
- Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
- SPAs and SACs are part of Natura 2000
- World Heritage Sites
Other UK Conservation Policies
Objects of conservation
UK
- Forests in the United Kingdom
- List of gardens
- Botanical gardens in the United Kingdom
- List of abbeys and priories
- List of historic houses
- List of castles
- Heritage railway
- Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
- Piers
- Waterways in the United Kingdom
- Watermills in the United Kingdom
- Windmills in the United Kingdom
- Roman sites in the United Kingdom
- Chalk figures in the United Kingdom
England
- Historic houses in England
- Abbeys and priories in England
- Castles in England
- English Heritage Properties in England
- National Trust Properties in England
- Treasure Houses of England
- Cycleways in England
- Gardens in England
- Lighthouses in England
Scotland
- Historic houses in Scotland
- Abbeys and priories in Scotland
- Castles in Scotland
- National Trust for Scotland Properties
- Cycleways in Scotland
- Gardens in Scotland
- Lighthouses in Scotland
Wales
- Historic houses in Wales
- Abbeys and priories in Wales
- Castles in Wales
- Cadw (Welsh Heritage) Properties in Wales
- National Trust Properties in Wales
- Cycleways in Wales
- Gardens in Wales
- Lighthouses in Wales
Northern Ireland
- Historic houses in Northern Ireland
- Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland
- Castles in Northern Ireland
- National Trust Properties in Northern Ireland
- Cycleways in Northern Ireland
- Gardens in Northern Ireland
- Lighthouses in Northern Ireland