Integration of Conservation Strategies of Plant Genetic ... - Genres

Since 1949 it has been the policy to declare some of the land of highest quality as National Nature
Reserves. These may be owned or leased by the Country agencies or voluntary bodies, or privately
owned, but will be subject to a contractual management agreement.
Again in March 1993, there were:
6 NNRs in Northern Ireland (1,257 ha)
70 NNRs in Scotland (114,486 ha)
49 NNRs in Wales (13,397 ha)
140 NNRs in England (57,335 ha)
NB These areas are included in the above table.
While there is a presumption against harmful development in these areas, local planning authorities can
allow development operations or changes in use, if after consulting the appropriate conservation agency,
they decide it is in the wider public interest to do so. In such cases there will often be a requirement to
provide for the creation of similar habitats nearby.
Local Nature Reserves
These are designated by the local authorities under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside
Act 1949. They are not accorded as much significance under the planning system as SSSIs.
The LNR designation is made in consultation with the conservation agencies who provide advice on the
suitability of the site. Most LNR are owned by local authorities but some are managed on their behalf
by other bodies such as local wildlife trusts. At the end of March 1993 there were 2 LNRs in Scotland
totalling 3,165 ha, 19 in Wales totalling 2,423 ha and 337 in England with an area of 13,977 ha.
The Wider Countryside
Many more nature reserves are owned by non-statutory bodies and individuals. This is a further tranche
of land protected by a wide range of voluntary organisations and includes non SSSI land. These
organisations are sometimes owners or lessees of LNR or SSSI land and work in partnership with the
appropriate country agency.
Outside these formally and informally protected areas, environmentally beneficial management of
farmland is encouraged through a number of schemes. For example, Environmentally Sensitive Areas
(ESAs). These are targetted on areas of high conservation value and are intended to provide incentives
to farmers and crofters to protect and enhance environmental features of their land. By December 1993
there were four ESAs in Wales totalling 358,700 ha, 10 in Scotland totalling approximately 1.4 million
ha, 16 in England totalling approximately 832,000 ha, and 3 in Northern Ireland totalling 131,000 ha.
Another 10 are in the planning stage - these total about 578,000 ha.
Agriculture Departments are also operating Farm capital grant and from woodland schemes that provide
funding for specific environmentally-beneficial measures. They will also now be introducing in 1994,
schemes under the EC Agri environment programme, for example, for moorland conservation, for
habitat creation as long-term set-aside land, and for conversion to organic farming.