Conservation Method 1: Legislation & Protocols Flashcards
What is the main UK law that protects wildlife?
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
What is the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981?
- a Uk law including a lot of the legislation that protects wildlife in the UK
- it is the primary legislation in GB for the protection of Flora, Fauna and Countryside
Summarise what the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981 covers
- designated protected areas e.g. SSSIs and MCZs
-protection of wild birds and nests
-protection of mammal species and their habitats
-uprooting of wild plants- generally illegal
-Bats
What bird species are not protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981?
some ‘pest’ species and game birds because they can be legally hunted
Give 4 examples of mammal species protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
-otters
-hazel dormouse
-Red squirrel
-badgers and their setts
What are setts?
Tunnels
E.g habitats for badgers
How are bats protected by the Wildlife and Countryside act?
-they cannot be disturbed under the act
If woodworm treatment chemicals are used in roofs where bats reside, they must not be toxic to Bats
What are 4 things you cant do under the Wildlife and Countryside Act?
-undertake agriculture or forestry operations within national parks
-intentionally kill, injure or take any wild birds,eggs or nests
-pick,uproot,trade or possess wild plants
-release non-native species that might be detrimental to native wildlife
How efficient is legal protection of species?
- the laws can be valuable but they are rarely efficient alone
- it can be difficult to enforce them efficiently-broken through ignorance
What are the 3 groups that most wildlife protection laws fall under?
-legal protection of habitats and species
-trade controls
-organisations that aim to achieve sustainable exploitation
What does the legal designation of protected areas do/help?
-protect species and habitats
- restrict activities in and outside of protected areas
-management agreements between land owners and designating organisations
-restrictions on access
-international cooperation
There are 10 examples of legally protected areas, name 4
SSSI, NNR, SAC, SPA, Natura 2000 sites, Ramsar sites, MNR, LNR, MPA, MCZ
What does SSSI stand for?
Site of Specific Scientific Interest
What is an SSSI?
A formal conservation designation of an area that is of particular interest to science because of rare species or important geological or physical features
Can developments happen in SSSIs?
Mostly cant happen
How many SSSIs are in England and how much land do they cover?
4’100 sites covering 4’200 square miles
How many SSSIs are in Scotland and Wales and how much land is covered
-both have 12% of their land area covered by SSSIs
- Scotland has 3’900 square miles of SSSIs
-Wales has 1’000 SSSIs
Give an example of an SSSI
Harpsden and Peveril Woods, Oxfordshire
What does NNR stand for?
National Nature Reserve
Under what act are National Nature Reserves established?
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
What are NNRs?
Areas managed for the purpose of research and study of Flora,fauna, geological and physical features
They are managed for wildlife but also for people to enjoy
How many NNRs are there in England and what amount of land do they cover?
229 covering 363 square miles
Give an example of a NNR
Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR, Merseyside
SAC
Special Area of Conservation
What are SACs?
Sites that have been adopted by the European Union and are formally designated by the government of each country in whose territory the site lies
What legislation are SACs designated under in England?
The Conservation of Habitat and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended) in England & Wales with a limited extent into Scotland and NI
The Conservation of Natural Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 in UK offshore territories
Who is the organisation responsible for SACs in the UK and how?
-JNCC
They advise the government on aspects of designation and management
SPA
Special Protected Area
What are SPAs?
Protected areas for Birds in the UK classified under the same legislation as SACa
What is the full name of the European birds directive?
The European Union Directive of Conservation of Wild Birds
How are SPA sites selected?
-to protect 1 or more rare, threatened or vulnerable bird species in Annex 1 of the Birds directive or certain regularly occurring migration species
How many SPAs are there in the UK?
252
Give an example of an SPA in England
Broadland SPA in Eastern England
What are Natura 2000 sites?
A network of core breeding/nesting sites for and threatened species and some rare natural habitat types that are protected in their own right
Are Natura 2000 sites just found in the UK?
No they extend across 27 EU countries both at land and sea
How many Natura 2000 sites are there in England alone?
320
How many Nature 2000 sites are there in Europe?
More than 25’000 that cover 18.36% of European Land
What are Natura 2000 sites made up of?
SACs and SPAs under the Habitat and Birds directive
They also include terrestrial and marine protected areas
Give 3 examples of Natura 2000 sites in the UK
-Northumberland Coast
-Norfolk Broads
-Salisbury plain
What are Ramsar sites?
Wetlands of international importance
Covers wetlands containing representative,rare or unique wetland types or their importance conserving biological diversity
How many Ramsar sites are in British Overseas Territories?
16
Give 2 examples of Ramsar Sites
Karavasta Lagoon, Albania
Scindarbans Reserved Forest, Bangladesh
MNR
Marine nature reserve
What is an MNR?
A conservation designation awarded by a government to a marine reserve of national significance
A type of Marine protected area intended to conserve particular species and habitats or enable their recovery
What Act are MNRs designated under?
The Wildlife Act 1990
How many MNRs are in the UK
3
Name the 3 MNRs in the UK
-Lundy MNR, Lundy Island, Bristol Channel
-Skomer MNR, Pembrokeshire
-Strangford Lough, County Down
LNR
Local Nature Reserve
What is an LNR?
A protected area of land designated by a local authority because of its special natural interest and or educational value
How many LNRs are in England
More than 1400
Under what act are LNRs designated?
Under section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
Give 3 examples of LNRs in the UK
Alverstone Mead, Isle of Wight
Borsdane Woods, Wigan
Fishwick Bottoms, Bolton
MPA
Marine Protected Area
What is an MPA?
Defined geographical areas of marine environments established and managed to achieve long term nature conservation and sustainable use
A section of ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity
What is restricted in MPAs?
Places at sea where environmentally damaged activities like certain types of fishing are restricted
Give two examples of MPAs
Florida Keys
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
MCZ
Marine Conservation Zone
What is a MCZ?
An area that protects a range of nationally important,rare or threatened habitats or species
Where can MCZs be designated?
In Uk territorial and offshore waters
How many MCZs are in and around the UK?
91
CITIES
Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species
What is CITIES?
The main international agreement that regulates international trade in wildlife
what are selected species grouped into by CITIES?
Appendices
What species are included in Appendix I and what does this mean as a result?
-species threatened with extinction
-all international trade of these species is banned except for conservation breeding programmes
Examples of species that are included in Appendix 1
All:
-Great apes
-Big cats
-Rhinos
-Blue Whales
What species are in Appendix II and what does this mean for the trade of them?
-species that might be threatened with extinction if trade isn’t closely controlled
-trade is permitted from countries where the species is relatively well protected- limited exploitation isn’t a threat
Give an example of species included in Appendix II
Common Hippopotamus
Green Iguana
Great White Shark
Basking Shark
Venus Fly Trap
There are a range of international organisations involved who aim to achieve sustainable exploitation, who do they focus on?
Specific wildlife groups that are commercially exploited
What are the 3 international organisations you need to know?
International whaling commission
Common fisheries policy of the European Union
International Tropical Timber Organisation
IWC
International whaling commission
What was the problem with Whaling that led to the IWC?
Depletion of whale species populations because of unregulated whaling
This happened to the point commercial whaling was banned in 1986 until a future period where populations are stable enough to withstand commercial whaling
What is the main aim of the IWC?
To regulate and manage whaling to ensure sustainable exploitation by conserving whale stocks
In what ways do the IWC regulate and manage whaling?
-the total protection of certain species
-designation of whale sanctuaries
-setting limits on the number/size of whales that can be taken
-protection of suckling mothers and calves
-carrying out research into whale biology and activities that threaten whales
What activities can threaten whales?
Ship strikes
Entanglement with fishing nets
Is all whaling banned by the IWC?
No there are 3 reasons it can happen
What are the 3 reasons the IWC allow whaling?
-Aboriginal Substinence
-Special permit whaling/scientific whaling
-commercial whaling
What is ‘Aboriginal Substinence’ as a reason for whaling?
Whaling permitted for cultural groups that have traditionally hunted whales for food
E.g. the Inuit (eskimos) of Alaska & the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines
What is Special permit whaling/scientific Whaling?
The killing of whales for scientific research
Which country tried to use Scientific whaling as a justification for its whaling in 2014?
Japan
Commercial whaling is one of the reasons the IWC allows, who used this to set their own commercial whaling quotas?
Iceland and Norway
In 2014, they killed around 800 fin and Minke sharks
EU CFP
Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union
What is the EU CFP?
A series of regulations that control fishing in the territorial waters of the European Union
What is the aim of the EU CFP?
To ensure fishing and aquaculture are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable and that they provide a source of healthy food for European Citizens
What are the typical regulations of the EU CFP?
-catch quotas
-size limits
-net mesh size regulations
-limits on fishing efforts
-ban on discarding unwanted fish
ITTO
International Tropical Timber organisation
What is the aim of the ITTO?
To encourage the sustainable management of tropical rainforests
What did ITTO members agree to in 1990?
To strive for an international trade of tropical timber from sustainably managed forests by 2000
However there was little evidence of success by 2000
