County Wildlife Site (often abbreviated to CWS) is a conservation designation in the United Kingdom, which despite conferring no statutory protection onto a site, does affirm a site's importance and value for wildlife in its county context.[1] The designation is classified by Natural England (the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment is protected) as being a 'Local Site' designation,[2][3] though sites can also be of a regional and national importance.[4] Whilst the exact details of the selection process differ from county to county, in general local Wildlife Trusts, local authorities and other local wildlife/environmental/conservation groups collaborate to select and designate sites.[3] Species in County Wildlife Sites are often also in that county's or the United Kingdom's national Biodiversity Action Plan.[3]
At least 40,000 sites have been established across Britain.[5] These sites generally complement statutory protection provided by Sites of Special Scientific Interest by acting as buffer zones, wildlife corridors and raising the profile of specific wildlife sites.[5] They are also seen as providing protection for species which would not otherwise be protected by law in the United Kingdom.[6] They are seen as important sites for "monitoring the health of the natural environment"[7] by central and local government bodies.[8]
Whilst there is no legislative protection provided by a County Wildlife Site designation, planning permission for work that would have an injurious or adverse effect on sites is usually not granted.[4] An affirmation of the importance of County Wildlife Sites – and indeed all other sites with a designation in the 'Local Sites' category – can be found in Circular 06/05: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation – Statutory Obligations and Their Impact Within The Planning System,[3] and their role in helping the UK to meet national biodiversity objectives was recognised in Planning Policy Statement Nine.[4] The latter affirmation of their importance in biodiversity conservation resulted in a strengthening of the presumption against development on County Wildlife Sites following the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, which requires public bodies to 'have a regard for the conservation of biodiversity'.[4] Despite any mandatory legal requirement to do so, positive management of County Wildlife Sites to enhance their value for wildlife is encouraged, and many local Wildlife Trusts and other conservation organisations provide resources to help site owners maximise their site's potential. For example, Suffolk Wildlife Trust offers 'advisory visits' to give guidance to site owners about the kind of conservation work they should be undertaking,[4] whilst the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire regularly surveys and undertakes volunteer work on County Wildlife Sites.[9]
^"Wildlife Designations". Wildlife Guidelines. Devon County Council. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
^"Designations". Natural England. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
^ abcd"Local Sites". WebCite. Natural England. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
^ abcde"County Wildlife Sites". Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
^ abHill.D (2005) Handbook of Biodiversity Methods: Survey, Evaluation and Monitoring, Cambridge University Press, pp.94–95 (available online). Retrieved 21 February 2014.
^Maclean.N (2010) Silent Summer: The State of Wildlife in Britain and Ireland, Cambridge University Press, p.342 (available online). Retrieved 21 February 2014.
^"A further 94 Devon sites get special wildlife status", Express & Echo (Exeter), 14 March 2008, p.4.
^County's wildlife protection expands its coverage in area, North Devon Journal, 7 April 2007, p42.
^"Wildlife sites in Cambridgeshire". Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
and 25 Related for: County Wildlife Site information
CountyWildlifeSite (often abbreviated to CWS) is a conservation designation in the United Kingdom, which despite conferring no statutory protection onto...
Warren Point CountyWildlifeSite is a wildlife park owned and managed by the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. Located in an industrial area, northwest...
by Plymouth City Council and is both designated a CountyWildlifeSite (CWS) and part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) known as Plymouth...
Canadian Wildlife Service, part of Environment and Climate Change Canada Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Queensland, Australia CountyWildlifeSite, local...
Geodiversity Site', while in other areas the equivalent local geology site is now called a 'County Geology Site' (to correspond to CountyWildlifeSite, e.g....
Deben at Kirton Creek: The river acts as a natural wildlife corridor linking several CountyWildlifeSites: The Mount Brightwell Gazing Meadows Valley Farm...
sea-turtle, nearby wildlife habitats and national-refuge land. Private discussions between SpaceX and state officials about a private launch site began at least...
for its nature conservation importance through designation as a CountyWildlifeSite. Among the species found here is the Purple Emperor butterfly. To...
also a designated county wildlifesite (CWS) "Hales Green". "South Norfolk commons and open spaces". "CountyWildlifeSites – South Norfolk 2018" (PDF)...
The Wildlife Trusts, the trading name of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, is an organisation made up of 46 local Wildlife Trusts in the United Kingdom...
Saxon chief. The surrounding Horsford Forest has been designated a CountyWildlifeSite. The rare silver-studded blue butterfly has a colony in this forest...
and is designated as a (non-statutory) County Geology Site (with similar criteria to a CountyWildlifeSite). The hill also has a Scheduled Ancient Monument...
conservation importance, the wood is designated by Wiltshire Council as a CountyWildlifeSite. Both names for the wood, Great Ridge and Chicklade, are old. The...
northern Dodge and southern Fond du Lac counties of Wisconsin. It is the site of both a national and a state wildlife refuge. The silted-up glacial lake is...
National Cycle Route 51 passes through the park. It is designated a CountyWildlifeSite. The area used to be wooded valley with a brook running down from...
seized and occupied the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon, and continued to occupy it until law enforcement made...
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge is an 11,169-acre (4,520 ha) United States National Wildlife Refuge located in southern Colorado. The site is located in...
States Army chemical weapons manufacturing facility. The site was designated a national wildlife refuge in 1992 by the United States Congress, and underwent...
Flitton Moor is a 6.9 hectare Local Nature Reserve and CountyWildlifeSite in Flitton in Bedfordshire. It is owned by Central Bedfordshire Council and...
the parish, the former and the latter being a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a CountyWildlifeSite respectively. By the 12th century, heathland...
The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, (part of the Wildlife Trusts partnership), covers the whole ceremonial county of Lincolnshire, England. It was founded...
the geographic center of Butte County and, in 1975, Glenn County joined the District. The campus rests on a wildlife refuge, and has been recognized...
floodplain is a Special Area of Conservation, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a CountyWildlifeSite. It has a number of businesses including Slade's...
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation...