Introduction to the guidance manual
4. Designations covered by common standards monitoring
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While common standards monitoring was designed for SSSIs, ASSIs,
cSACs, SPAs and Ramsar sites, in principle the approach could be
applied to any defined area holding specific features of
conservation interest (e.g. statutory voluntary nature reserves),
although consideration of the level of targets set may be
necessary.
4.1 UK sites as at 31 March 2003
|
Designation
|
Number of Sites
|
(ha)
|
| Special Protection Areas |
240
|
1,436,609
|
| candidate Special Areas of Conservation |
576
|
2,405,778
|
| Ramsar |
144
|
758,782
|
| Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) |
6,586
|
2,335,405
|
| Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) |
196
|
92,033
|
| SSSI + ASSI |
6,782
|
2,427,438
|
Protected sites vary enormously, both in extent and number of
interest features. They range from enclosed fields of less than a
hectare notified for a single rare species, to extensive tracts of
unenclosed upland covering tens of thousands of hectares and
containing over 20 different interest features.
4.2 Multiple Designations
Many areas of wildlife interest in the UK have multiple site
designations. The relationship between them in terms of site
boundaries and interest features is often complex. For example, all
but a handful of candidate SACs and SPAs in the UK are underpinned
by SSSI or ASSI designation, but the cSAC may be made up of a
number of component SSSI/ASSIs. In addition, the SSSI/ASSIs may
have been notified for a different suite of habitats and species.
Almost all Ramsar sites are also Natura 2000 sites, but the
interest features are not necessarily identical.
From a monitoring perspective, an important principle
is that data must be collected in such a way as to allow a separate
assessment of each individual interest
feature.