Top sites for wildlife in England need better monitoring - watchdogs
Some of England's most important natural sites are being neglected despite millions of pounds of funding from the tax payer, according to watchdogs.
By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent
Last Updated: 4:05PM GMT 20 Nov 2008
Top sites for wildlife in England need better monitoring - watchdogs - Telegraph
Sites of special scientific interest or SSSIs have been set up around the country to protect endangered wildlife, rare plants or extraordinary geological formations. Altogether there are 4,114 in England covering more than one million hectares in areas including Richmond Park, the New Forest and the Peak District.
It is the job of Natural England to ensure the areas, which are often on private land, are protected. Since 2000 £395 million of public money has been spent on managing SSSIs.
However a report by the National Audit Office has found almost one in five sites are in a bad condition and one in four sites have not been assessed in the last six years as recommended in national guidelines.
The report found the condition of SSSIs has improved in the last few years from half in a "favourable or recovering position" in 2002 to 83 per cent today. Natural England is on course to meet a target of having 95 per cent of areas in a "favourable or recovering" position by 2010.
However a remaining seventeen per cent of sites are in an "unfavourable condition", while less than one per cent amounting to 6,462 hectares have been destroyed completely.
A quarter of sites have not been assessed in the last six years meaning it is impossible to know how bad conditions are in many of the areas. Around a third of sites do not have conservation objectives in place against which improvements can be measured and the quality of record keeping is "variable".
Areas recorded as being in an unfavourable condition included SSSIs in the Peak District and Epping Forest. Areas without conservation objectives included Richmond Park and north Exmoor.
In 2001 Natural England gained powers to forced landowners to protect SSSIs but these powers have only been used once, despite concerns about SSSIs on private land being neglected.
Edward Leigh, chairman of the committee of public accounts, called for "clear conservation objectives" in order to ensure SSSIs are protected for future generations.
"Natural England needs to get a grip on its internal management," he said. "It hasn't checked the condition of a quarter of sites in the past six years. How can Natural England know if it is meeting its targets or spending its money effectively?"
However Helen Phillips, chief executive of Natural England, defended the conditions of SSSIs. She argued that overall land management must improve to ensure the survival of natural sites and wildlife.
"Beyond 2010, work to secure the long term health of the countryside must move beyond the confines of small reserves and ensure that wider land management has the care of the natural environment at its heart," she said.
). Good news, yes... but if SSSIs were worth much then surely the idea would have been rejected before news got into the public domain?? 
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