This page gives an overview of the complex structure of environmental and cultural
conservation
Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws.
Conservation may also refer to:
Environment and natural resources
* Nature conservation, the protection and manageme ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
.
With the advent of
devolved government
Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralization. Devolved territories ...
for
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
and
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...
and of evolving regional government for
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, the responsibilities for environment and conservation in the United Kingdom have become more complicated.
There follows a list of the legislation, conservation bodies (both governmental and otherwise), and conservation designations, which work together to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the UK. A list of 'objects of conservation' provides further links.
Legislation
Some of the key legislation which governs conservation issues in the UK. This list is not exhaustive.
*
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 or AMAAA was a law passed by the UK government, the latest in a series of Ancient Monument Acts legislating to protect the archaeological heritage of England & Wales and Scotland. Northern ...
Environment Act 1995
The Environment Act 1995c 25 passed under the ministerial tutelage of John Gummer, is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament which created a number of new agencies and set new standards for environmental management.
See also
*English land law
En ...
Environment (Wales) Act 2016
The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 (anaw 3) ( cy, Deddf yr Amgylchedd (Cymru) 2016) is an Act of the National Assembly for Wales that was given royal assent on 21 March 2016. It put into place the necessary legislation to enable the planning and ma ...
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the laws on granting of planning permission for building works, notably including those of the listed building system in ...
Weeds Act 1959
The Weeds Act 1959 ('' 7 & 8 Eliz. II c. 54'') is a Consolidation Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Section 1(1) states: "Where the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (in this Act referred to as " the Minister ") is satisfied t ...
*
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species (especia ...
Conservation bodies
Government departments
*
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United K ...
(DEFRA)
*
Directorates of the Scottish Government
The work of the Scottish Government is carried out by Directorates, each headed by a Director. The Directorates are grouped into a number of Directorates-General families, each headed by a Director-General. However, the individual Directorates ar ...
: Environment and Forestry Directorate
Governmental bodies
The following are Executive Agencies of the UK government and regional executives, with note on their areas of responsibility.
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the management of publicly owned forests and the regulation of both public and private forestry in England.
The Forestry Commission was previously also resp ...
— co-ordinating international forestry policy support and certain plant health functions in respect of trees and forestry.
England
*
Historic England
Historic England (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked w ...
— cultural and built heritage.
*
Natural England
Natural England is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, ...
— nature and wildlife conservation, landscape protection.
*
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body, established in 1996 and sponsored by the United Kingdom government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with responsibilities relating to the protection and en ...
Forestry and Land Scotland
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) ( gd, Coilltearachd agus Fearann Alba) is responsible for managing and promoting Scotland's national forest estate: land, predominantly covered in forest, owned by the Scottish Government on behalf of the nation. ...
— forestry management
*
Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) ( gd, Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the mer ...
— cultural and built heritage
*
NatureScot
NatureScot ( gd, NàdarAlba), which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and ...
Cadw
(, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage ...
— cultural and built heritage
*
Natural Resources Wales
Natural Resources Wales ( cy, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru) is a Welsh Government sponsored body, which became operational from 1 April 2013, when it took over the management of the natural resources of Wales. It was formed from a merger of the Coun ...
(NRW) (formerly Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission Wales and Environment Agency Wales) — protection of landscapes and rural countryside, regulation of waterways, pollution, waste management
Forest Service Northern Ireland
The Forest Service Northern Ireland is an executive agency of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development entrusted with the development of forestry and the management of forests in Northern Ireland. It was created on 1 April 1998.
The ...
Botanical Society of the British Isles
The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) is a scientific society for the study of flora, plant distribution and taxonomy relating to Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The society was founded as the Bo ...
British Trust for Ornithology
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is an organisation founded in 1932 for the study of birds in the British Isles. The Prince of Wales has been patron since October 2020.
History
Beginnings
In 1931 Max Nicholson wrote:
In the United Stat ...
Buglife
Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust (usually referred to simply as Buglife) is a UK-based nature conservation charity.
Structure
Buglife's head office is in Peterborough, England; with additional offices in Scotland, Wales, Northern ...
*
Butterfly Conservation
Butterfly Conservation (BC) is a UK-wide nonprofit environmentalist organization and charity dedicated to conserving butterflies, moths, and the environment. The charity uses its research to provide advice on how to conserve and restore butterfly ...
Council for British Archaeology
The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) is an educational charity established in 1944 in the UK. It works to involve people in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of the historic environment for the benefit of present and futu ...
*
Council for the Protection of Rural England
CPRE, The Countryside Charity, formerly known by names such as the ''Council for the Preservation of Rural England'' and the ''Council for the Protection of Rural England'', is a charity in England with over 40,000 members and supporters. Form ...
Institute of Conservation
The Institute of Conservation (Icon) is the professional charitable body, representing and supporting the practice and profession of conservation. It has around 2500 members worldwide, including professional conservators, scientists and teachers i ...
Marine Conservation Society
The Marine Conservation Society is a UK based not-for-profit organization working with businesses, governments and communities to clean and protect the oceans. Founded in 1983, the group claims to be working towards "cleaner, better-protected, h ...
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
North East Civic Trust
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
*
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment thro ...
Scottish Ornithologists' Club
The Scottish Ornithologists' Club (SOC) is a Scottish ornithological body, founded in March 1936 at the premises of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. As of 2008, the SOC has 2,200 members. The Club runs the Scottish Birds Records Committee ...
The Conservation Volunteers
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) is a British community volunteering charity focused on environmental conservation through practical tasks undertaken by volunteers. Until 1 May 2012, it traded as BTCV – British Trust for Conservation Volunte ...
Trinity House
"Three In One"
, formation =
, founding_location = Deptford, London, England
, status = Royal Charter corporation and registered charity
, purpose = Maintenance of lighthouses, buoys and beacons
, he ...
The Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom and is concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. It has planted over 50 million trees since 1972.
The Woodland T ...
National parks
A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...
Areas designated by government agencies
The following designations are established or monitored by the executive agencies listed above.
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 or AMAAA was a law passed by the UK government, the latest in a series of Ancient Monument Acts legislating to protect the archaeological heritage of England & Wales and Scotland. Northern ...
)
*
Area of archaeological potential
Areas of archaeological potential, also known as areas of high archaeological potential or urban archaeological zones, are locations within a country identified by archeologists as sites where buried archaeological artifacts are likely to survive. ...
*
Conservation area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
*
Country park
A country park is a natural area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.
United Kingdom
History
In the United Kingdom, the term ''country park'' has a special meaning. There are around 250 recognised cou ...
*
Green belt
A green belt is a policy and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges, which h ...
(intended to be a
planning
Planning is the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Planning is based on foresight, the fundamental capacity for mental time travel. The evolution of forethought, the capacity to think ahead, is c ...
policy rather than a conservation designation, but often interpreted as the latter)
*
Listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...
Regional park A regional park is an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government.
Definition
A regional park can be a special park distri ...
Biosphere reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
s
*
Ramsar site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...
(SAC)
*
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certa ...
(SPA)
** SACs and SPAs are part of
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respecti ...
*
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
Botanical gardens in the United Kingdom
Botanical gardens in the United Kingdom is a link page for any botanical garden, arboretum or pinetum in the United Kingdom.
England
Berkshire
* Harris Garden, University of Reading, Reading
Birmingham
* Birmingham Botanical Gardens
* Winterb ...
*
Chalk figures in the United Kingdom
A hill figure is a large visual representation created by cutting into a steep hillside and revealing the underlying geology. It is a type of geoglyph usually designed to be seen from afar rather than above. In some cases trenches are dug and r ...
Heritage railway
A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
List of castles
__NOTOC__
This is a list of castles from around the world.
By country
Africa
* Castles in Ghana
* Castles in South Africa
Americas
* Castles in Brazil
* Castles in Canada
* Castles in Mexico
* Castles in the United States
Asia ...
*
List of gardens
The list of gardens is a link page for any park or garden open to the public, anywhere in the world.
Argentina
*Buenos Aires Botanical Garden
Australia
Australian Capital Territory
*Australian National Botanic Gardens
New South Wales
* Aubur ...
Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
There are hundreds of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom designated in publications from public authorities, guidebooks and OS maps. They are mainly used for hiking and walking, but some may also be used, in whole or in part, for ...
*
Pier
Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.">England.html" ;"title="Brighton, England">Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th ...
s
*
Roman sites in the United Kingdom
There are many Roman sites in Great Britain that are open to the public. There are also many sites that do not require special access, including Roman roads, and sites that have not been uncovered.
England
*Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland and Cumb ...
*
Watermills in the United Kingdom
The use of water power in Britain was at its peak just before the Industrial Revolution. The need for power was great and steam power had not yet become established. It is estimated that at this time there were well in excess of ten thousand water ...
Windmills in the United Kingdom
This is a list of windmills and windpumps in the United Kingdom.
England
The list is divided into the current ceremonial counties of England:
Bedfordshire
See List of windmills in Bedfordshire
Berkshire
;Mock mill
Buckinghamshire
See Li ...
Gardens in England
Gardens in England is a link page for any garden, botanical garden, arboretum or pinetum open to the public in England. The National Gardens Scheme also opens many small, interesting, private gardens to the public on one or two days a year fo ...
List of National Trust properties in England
This is a list of National Trust properties in England, including any stately home, historic house, castle, abbey, museum or other property in the care of the National Trust in England.
Bedfordshire
*Dunstable Downs
*Whipsnade Tree Cathedral
* ...
*
Treasure Houses of England
The Treasure Houses of England group is a heritage consortium. It was founded in the early 1970s by nine of the foremost stately homes in England still in private ownership, with the aim of marketing and promoting themselves as tourist venues.
H ...
Scotland
*
Abbeys and priories in Scotland
List of monastic houses in Scotland is a catalogue of the abbeys, priory, priories, friary, friaries and other monastic religious houses of Scotland.
In this article alien houses are included, as are smaller establishments such as Monastic cel ...
Cycleways in Scotland
Cycling infrastructure is all infrastructure cyclists are allowed to use. Bikeways include bike paths, bike lanes, cycle tracks, rail trails and, where permitted, sidewalks. Roads used by motorists are also cycling infrastructure, except whe ...
*
Gardens in Scotland
Gardening in Scotland, the design of planned spaces set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature in Scotland began in the Middle Ages.
Gardens, or yards, around medieval abbeys, castles and houses were ...
Cycleways in Wales
The following is a list of cycleways in Wales.
*Celtic Trail cycle route (a multiple-route trail between Chepstow and St Davids, using parts of Routes 42, 43, 46, 47, 49, and 492, 4, the Millennium Coastal Path and a large part of R ...
List of National Trust properties in Wales
Below is a list of the stately homes, historic houses, castles, abbeys, museums, estates, coastline and open country in the care of the National Trust in Wales, grouped into the unitary authority areas. Many areas of land owned by the trust, both ...
Northern Ireland
*
Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland
This is a list of the abbeys, priories, friaries and other monastic religious houses in Ireland.
This article provides a gazetteer for the whole of Ireland.
Links to individual county lists
''To navigate the listings on this page, use th ...
*
Castles in Northern Ireland
This List of Castles in Ireland, be they in Northern Ireland and thus United Kingdom or in the Republic of Ireland, is organised by county within their respective jurisdiction.
Republic of Ireland
County Carlow
:
County Cavan
:
Coun ...
Gardens in Northern Ireland {{Short description, none
Gardens in Northern Ireland is a page for any garden open to the public in Northern Ireland.
List of gardens in Northern Ireland:
*Belfast Botanic Gardens
*Clandeboye Estate, Bangor, County Down
* Drenagh, Limavady, Count ...
List of National Trust properties in Northern Ireland
National Trust properties in Northern Ireland is a list of National Trust properties in Northern Ireland.
County Antrim
*Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
*The Crown Liquor Saloon
*Divis and Black Mountain, Belfast
*Dunseverick Castle
*Fair Head Coas ...
Conservation in Scotland
This article gives an overview of the structure of environmental and cultural conservation in Scotland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom.
Upon the introduction of devolved government the environment and built heritage were not listed a ...