Not all sites that are important for nature and wildlife are protected through nationally designated legal protections, such as Sites of Special Scientific interest (SSSI), National Nature Reserves (NNR) or National Parks. Local Wildlife Sites are selected locally and allow partnerships of government and non-government organisations to identify wildlife-rich sites that are of importance locally, regionally and nationally.
Local Wildlife Sites include many different habitat types and are home to some of our rare and threatened species. Site ownership can be public or private, and the number of sites and area covered within a region is often much greater than designated as SSSI. This volume and variety of sites coupled with the fact that, as a non-statutory designation, the only protection for these sites comes via the planning system can make designating, managing and protecting Local Wildlife Sites extremely challenging for those involved.
The Local Wildlife Sites Virtual Symposium will enable conservationists to share their experiences and case studies for tackling some of the issues that the environmental sector faces when it comes to managing Local Wildlife Sites.
There are variations both nationally and locally regarding the terminology used for the “Local Wildlife Site” designation, including Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), Local Nature conservation site and County Wildlife Site.
Speaker Sessions
- “Can Community Science Support a County Wildlife Sites Framework in Devon?” – Jess Smallcombe, Devon Biodiversity Records Centre.
- “Rising From The Ashes: A Local Wildlife Sites and Development Case Study from Essex” – Jon Cranfield, Herpetologic Ltd.
- “Digital Assets for Local Wildlife Sites” – Dr. Dan Carpenter, Digital Ecology.
- “London’s Wildlife Sites: Challenges and Opportunities in a Growing City” – Mathew Frith, London Wildlife Trust.
To book
For more information and to book please visit Eventbrite