Archived press release

One in five top wildlife sites damaged in past five years

1 October 1997

Nearly one in five of the nation's most important wildlife sites have been damaged in the past five years according to a new analysis of official figures published today (1/10/97) by Friends of the Earth. The analysis is part of the launch of an innovative new web site which goes on-line today. The web site, called Wild Places! is available atwww.foe.co.uk/wildplaces [1].

Every year over 300 of the nation's most important wildlife sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), are damaged according to official figures [2]. Between 1991 and 1996 2,099 instances of damage have been recorded in England and Wales alone, affecting 896 SSSIs (19%) [3]. These sites are being put at risk because the law is failing to protect them.Friends of the Earth is calling for urgent legal reform to halt the damage to these important sites.

The call comes as FOE launches a unique new web site which will provide easy access to information on local wildlife areas for the first time. Wild Places! includes an interactive map to enable web site visitors to find their local SSSIs and discover information on which sites have been damaged and which are currently under threat.

The web site is intended to encourage people to value their local wildlife sites, to report threats or damage and to support Friends of the Earth's call for better legal protection for wildlife. Visitors to the web site are urged to write to their MPs to support that call.

Tony Juniper, Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth, said:

"Our best wildlife sites are being damaged by greedy developers, bad policies,perverse subsidies and ignorance. The toll of damage is astonishing and the number of outstanding threats indicates that this devastation will continue. We must have better legal protection or there will be nothing left for our children to enjoy in years to come.

"The new web site will give people the chance to find out about the important sites near them. With this knowledge, people can feel empowered to value these sites and mobilised to support their protection."

SSSI facts
*Over 300 SSSIs are damaged every year (England, Wales and Scotland)
*896 SSSIs (18.8%) have been damaged by 2,099 instances of damage (England and Wales 1991-1996)
*At least 783 SSSIs are presently under threat of future damage [4]
*There are 6,559 SSSIs and ASSIs (the equivalent in Northern Ireland) in the UK
*400 SSSIs have been damaged by agricultural activity (England and Wales 1991-1996)
*72 SSSIs have been damaged by public bodies and statutory activities
*SSSIs include some of the country's most well known countryside landmarks.Cairngorm, the Lizard, the New Forest, Cheddar Gorge, the Severn Estuary, Lough Neagh, the Norfolk Broads, the River Wye and Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
*Damaged sites include, for example, Thorne and Hatfield Moors (damaged by peat extraction), Offham Down, Offham Marshes (damaged by agricultural activities).Threatened sites include the Cairngorms (threatened by building a new funicular railway) and Cardiff Bay (threatened with total destruction once the Cardiff Barrage is completed).

NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Wild Places! web site will be available to the public at 2pm on Wednesday 1st October.
Press Briefing and Demo at 11.00am, Axiom Cafe, 24 Underwood St, London N1 7JQ

[2] Every year the official Government wildlife agencies publish data on loss and damage to SSSIs. These data are available electronically and are included on the web site. The analysis published today by Friends of the Earth for the first time looks at damage over the whole period of available data. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has not made available data on damage from 1991-92 and 1995-96. No agency has supplied data from 1996-97.No data are available on damage to ASSIs in Northern Ireland. Year by year figures in England and Wales are:
YearSSSIs damaged
1991/92313
1992/92365
1993/94307
1994/95305
1995/96345
Note: individual sites were damaged in more than one year. In total 896 SSSIs have suffered damage.

[3] Individual sites can suffer more than one instance of damage, and so the figure is not necessarily the same as the number of sites that have been damaged over that period.

[4] According to research published by Friends of the Earth based on a range of sources.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust