site of special scientific interest

A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic 'building block' of nature conservation legislation, and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations are based upon them, including National Nature Reserves, Ramsar Sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation.

Legal status

The government has a power to designate as an SSSI any area of land which it considers to be of special interest by virtue of its fauna, flora, geological or physiographical features. The designation can be made by English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales or the Environment and Heritage Service (Northern Ireland). In Northern Ireland some areas are designated as Areas Of Special Scientific Interest under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, which is essentially the same as SSSI legislation. An SSSI is not necessarily open to the public, or owned by a conservation organisation or by the Government — in fact, they can be owned by anybody. The current legal framework for SSSIs is provided by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, amended 1985, and the protection of SSSIs was enhanced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.