Damaging development will now be challenged on 23 wildlife areas in the South East as a result of today's announcement of newly protected areas under the European Union 'Habitats Directive' (1).

Work that may have to be reviewed as a result of the new protection powers include quarrying permissions at Oxford Meadows and Dungeness. All sites will receive strict protection in the future (2).

Friends of the Earth has welcomed the new nature reserves, but says that some vital areas have been omitted in the South East. These include Surrey Heathlands like Chobham Common (which is under threat from the widening of the M3) and Hankley and Frensham commons.

Friends of the Earth is also concerned that the new reserves would use up most of the limited official resources for habitat protection, leaving other wildlife sites even more vulnerable than they are now.

Tony Juniper, Senior Habitats Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"This is on the whole an important step forward for conservation, but we have concerns about the absence of certain key wildlife areas.

On a more cautious note he said:

"At least ninety per cent of the UK's best wildlife areas remain vulnerable and could even finish up worse off because most of the money and political commitment for habitat protection will be diverted to these few special areas. More money and better laws are needed to protect the country's amazing diversity of wildlife".

Looking to the future, Tony Juniper said:

"The Government must also help recreate wild habitats outside protected areas so that animals and plants now trapped in isolated pockets can migrate in response to climate change. If this doesn't happen, lots of species will become extinct".

In September 1993, Friends of the Earth published its own sample list of 112 sites which should be protected under the Directive (compiled by Derek Ratcliffe, former Nature Conservancy Council Chief Scientist). 97 of these are either partially or wholly included in the Government list.

Among sites missing from the official list are the Somerset Levels, Mendip woods, Surrey Heaths, Duddon Estuary, Bala Lake, Carmel Woods, Loch Leven, Lough Neagh and some important areas of Caledonian pine forest in the Scottish Highlands.

Number of SACs designated in the South East: 25

Number of these SACs that are known to be threatened: 8

Alistair Percival 0252 528515 / 0734 795418

ENDS

1 The European Union 'Habitats Directive' requires the UK and other member states to designate Special Areas for Conservation (SACs) to ensure that habitats and species of EU- wide concern (specified in the Directives annexes) are maintained at a 'favourable conservation status'.

Examples of the hundreds of species and habitats listed in the Directive that occur in the UK include the otter, salmon, natterjack toad, greater horseshoe bat, lowland raised bog, heathland, beechwoods and Caledonian pine forest.

Most SACs may only be damaged for "reasons overriding public interest, including those of a socio-economic nature". Those protecting "Priority" habitats and species (including lowland raised bogs and Caledonian pine forest) may only be harmed to protect human health or public safety.

2 SACs will be protected by new planning controls, new Government powers to control and prevent damaging activities and through a review of planned developments that have yet to be fully implemented (for example tidal barrages, quarrying projects and road building schemes).

Alistair Percival 0252 528515 / 0734 795418