Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) conserve and protect the best of our wildlife, geological and physiographical heritage for the benefit of present and future generations. There are over 4000 SSSIs in England, covering around 8% of the country.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) give legal protection to the best sites for wildlife and geology in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).  Read more about this legislation on the Office of Public Sector I website or Joint Nature Conservation Committee website.

You can find details, including location, reason for notification, condition and management team contact details, of all SSSIs in England via Natural England’s Nature on the Map.

Natural England are responsible for notifying SSSIs, ensuring they are managed appropriately and assessing and monitoring their condition.

At the end of 2010 over 95% by area of English SSSIs were in favourable or recovering condition following seven years hard work by Defra, in conjunction with Natural England, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission and partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors.

We now want to bring an increasing proportion of SSSIs into favourable condition, whilst seeking to maintain at least 95% of SSSI land in favourable or recovering condition. Defra is working closely with Natural England and a wide range of other organisations, including the voluntary sector, to achieve this; ensuring the monitoring of sites to measure success.

Approximately 80% of SSSIs (by area) are internationally important for their wildlife and home to the rarest and most vulnerable habitats and species in Europe. These sites are designated as European Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs), which form part of the European network of protected areas known as ‘Natura 2000’.

Some are also Ramsar sites of International Wetland Importance, and many are also National Nature Reserves (NNRs) or Local Nature Reserves (LNRs). National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are areas of national natural interest and are generally all SSSIs, which also provide a resource for scientific research and recreation.

Defra is responsible for all SSSI policy.  For more information please visit the Natural England website.

• The SSSI guidance page contains guidance documents relevant to SSSIs, including the code of guidance document, financial management guidelines and the planning policy statement 9 and Natural England  guidance for SSSI owners.
• The SSSI appeals page contains information on how to appeal against Natural England decisions on refusal of consent, imposition of conditions or the issue of management notices, relating to works on SSSIs

Benefits of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England and Wales

On 23 August a study commissioned by Defra on the ‘Benefits of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England and Wales’ was published.  The study explores the range of valuable ecosystem services that our network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) provide us with.  It also gives estimates for the monetary value of the benefits derived from protecting biodiversity, which significantly exceed the costs of delivering them. This illustrates the importance of valuing the benefits of nature’s services – an approach that the Government has committed to through the recently published Natural Environment White Paper.

• Read the final report

The study showed that SSSIs deliver a range of ecosystem services, including:

• cultural services to people and the economy including tourism, education, sense of place and recreation; as well as clear conservation benefits.
• regulating services including water purification, regulation of climate, air quality, water and natural hazards by protecting and enhancing natural processes.
• Provisioning services that they produce,including goods such as food, timber, genetic resources and fresh water