Environmental science organisations

• SSSI - site specific interest

  Areas of land and water that can we consider to best represent our natural heritage in terms of their flora, fauna, geology and geomorphology.
• NNR - national nature reserve

  protects some of our most important habitats, species and geology, and to provide ‘outdoor laboratories‘ for research.
• LNR - local nature reserve

  Areas of natural heritage that are at least locally important.
• SAC - specific area conservation

  protects one or more special habitats and/or species - terrestrial or marine - listed in the habitats directive.
• SPA - special protected area 


  Selected to protect one or more rare, threatened or vulnerable bird species listed in annex 1 of the Birds directive, or certain regularly occurring migratory species.
• Natura 2000 sites - EU network of protected sites


  SPA + SAC make up a series of sites across europe.
• MNR - marine nature reserve

  Protect all components of a marine ecosystem, helping to conserve biodiversity and allowing ecosystems to return to a more natural state.
• RAMSAR site - wetland conservation site 


  a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the RAMSAR convention.
• MPA - Marine protected area

  areas of the ocean established to protect habitats species and processes essential for healthy, functioning marine ecosystems.
• MCZ - marine conservation zone


  Areas that protect a range of nationally important rare or threatened habitats and species.