Chalk river designations
Chalk streams are an important habitat in a national and international context and are a priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). The BAP describes the UK's biological resources and commits a detailed plan for the protection of these resources.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI's) are the country's very best wildlife and geological sites. They are the best examples of our natural heritage of wildlife habitats, geological features and landforms, and are areas that have been noted as being of special interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There are over 4,000 SSSI's in England, covering around 7% of the country's land area. SSSI's support rare plants and animals that now find it difficult to survive in the wider countryside.
Nationally 10 chalk rivers are designated as SSSI's for their wildlife interest. The River Itchen was designated as a SSSI in 1997 because it is one of the best examples of a chalk stream habitat in the UK with great examples of plants, invertebrates, mammals, birds and fish. Other SSSI chalk streams in Hampshire include the Rivers Test, Lambourn, Wensum and the Hampshire Avon.
Special Areas of Conservation (SAC's) are areas which have been given special protection under the European Union's Habitats Directive. They provide increased protection to a variety of wild animals, plants and habitats and are a vital part of global efforts to conserve the world's biodiversity.
Much of the River Itchen has been designated as a SAC based on the presence of seven ecological interest species, namely the water crowfoot (ranunculus community) and populations of southern damselfly, crayfish, otter, salmon, bullhead and brook lamprey, which are all recognised as important in a European context. In Hampshire the Rivers Lambourn, Wensum and Hampshire Avon are also SAC's.
Special Protection Areas (SPA's) are classified under the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC), commonly known as the Birds Directive. The Directive requires the Member States of the European Community to identify and classify the most suitable territories, in size and number, for certain rare or vulnerable species (listed in Annex I of the Directive) and for regularly occurring migratory species. SPA's are intended to safeguard the habitats of the species for which they are selected and to protect the birds from significant disturbance. Together with SAC's, SPA's form the Natura 2000 network of sites.
CITIES is The ‘Washington' Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. CITIES aims to protect certain plants and animals by regulating and monitoring their international trade to prevent it reaching unsustainable levels. The Convention entered into force in 1975, and the UK became a Party in 1976. There are more than 168 Parties to the Convention. The CITIES Secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The European otter is a highly protected mammal listed on Appendix 1 of CITIES.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is one of the most important pieces of UK legislation for both plants and animals. It is divided into four parts; Part 1 covers the protection of wildlife; Part 2, designation of sites; Part 3, public rights of way and Part 4, miscellaneous provisions of the Act.
Since it received Royal Ascent in 1981, the Act has been amended through the passing of subsequent Parliamentary Acts – one of the most significant being the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (the CROW Act). The Act is also amended by Variations to the Schedules Order which allow the lists (or Schedules) of species which have specific protection, to be reviewed every 5 years.
During the last review, the water vole gained full protection under the Act. To find out more about these Acts, visit the Natural England website.
