Conservation management of SSSIs
Site Management Statements
CCW staff member talking with farmer,
Kathy De Witt/CCW
CCW must also build long-term relationships with landowners,
occupiers, other agencies and the public to ensure that positive,
practical action takes place to bring the site into, or keep it in
appropriate conservation management.
Site Management Statements (SMSs)
Conservation management of an SSSI will only be effective and
consistent in the long term, if all involved understand and agree
upon the same aims. Site Management Statements (SMSs) are documents
that describe the special features of the site, the management
objectives and actions required to meet them.
139 of the more recently designated SSSIs had SMSs prepared as
part of the designation process. CCW in now undertaking a major
programme to issue SMSs for the remaining 880 SSSIs.
In 2005-6 SMSs for 138 SSSIs were finalised – that is subject to
consultation with the owners/ occupiers and issued via a formal
notification procedure. SMSs for a further 734 sites were also
drafted during the year, which puts CCW on track to meet its key
target of completing and sharing 80% of SMSs by March 2007. This
has been a significant commitment for CCW with an investment of
nearly 1,500 days of staff time during 2005-6.