Over 95 percent of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) now classed as in favourable or recovering condition
CLA President William Worsley yesterday (4 January) said: The increase of more than one million hectares of SSSIs in favourable or recovering condition could not have been achieved without the active management undertaken by farmers and land managers. Without their help some of the most important habitats in the UK would have declined, leading to the loss of some of Englands rarest species.
This achievement is particularly relevant since the financial incentives available to support the conservation management of habitats within SSSIs may fall short of the costs of the work required. While the level of funding available through Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) for land management is set to increase, the grants available to complete capital works will not be increasing which could make it more difficult to restore these important sites in the future.
- The National Audit Office reported on 21 November 2008 that future financial incentives may not meet the full cost of conservation management within SSSIs. Read the full report here: Natural England’s Role in Improving Sites of Special Scientific Interest
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- To read the Defra statement on improvements to SSSIs please visit: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=417258&SubjectId=2
- The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has around 35,000 members.
- As a membership organisation, the CLA supports landowners by advising them on how best to protect and maximise their asset: the land. We are dedicated to supporting landowners and their businesses. Our success is measured by how effectively we do that. We have a team of experts in London and a regional structure able to give local support.
- We have been looking after the interests of our members, as well as promoting the positive aspects of land ownership, land management and rural business activities for the past 100 years. CLA members own or manage approximately half the rural land in England and Wales, and the resulting expertise puts us in a unique position to formulate policies and lobby effectively.
- For more information about the CLA, visit: www.cla.org.uk or follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/CLAtweets