Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - History

History

1979-Bern Convention. Legally binding, covering most of the European continent and some states of Africa. Aims of the convention:

• conserve flora and fauna
• conserve habitats
• protect endangered habitats and species including migratory species
• encourage European co-operation in conservation

The UK ratified the convention and adopted the European Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (among other directives).

(Council of Europe, 2011)

1979-European Directive79/409/EC on the Conservation of Wild Birds. The main provisions included:

• protection of vulnerable species
• classification of SPAs
• protection for all wild birds
• restrictions on killing/selling/keeping wild birds

(JNCC, 2010)

1981-The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 along with several other acts were passed as UK legislation to comply to the European Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds:

• Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
• Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands Order 1985
• Conservation Regulations 1995
• Offshore Marine Conservation Regulations 2007
• Conservation Regulations 2010

(JNCC, 2010a)

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 strengthened protection of SSSIs introduced by the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The pre-dated acts:

• Protection of Birds Acts of 1954, 1964 and 1967
• Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975

were repealed by the passing of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

(Naturenet, 2009)

1982- The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was implemented.

1985- The UK ratified the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1979). Adopted in Bonn, Germany in 1979 and coming into force in 1985, the Bonn Convention worked to conserve migratory species and their habitats. Listed in Appendix I are species which are endangered, Appendix II contains species which would benefit from international cooperation.

Appendix 1 migratory species listed in the convention were amended into the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.