Sites of Nature Conservation Interest

Flower rich meadow on SNCI land

Valuable wildlife areas exist in many parts of Dorset outside of the protected Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

These, sometimes small and isolated pockets of undisturbed habitat, which are often found on farms and private land, form a valuable reservoir of wildlife which can provide links to the fragmented SSSIs.

The SNCI Project identifies these important sites as 'Sites of Nature Conservation Interest', collects data about the plants and animals surviving there and helps to protect them in a number of ways:

We provide information to the local authorities so that they can take account of the wildlife importance of these sites in drawing up and implementing local plans, and when planning applications for individual developments arise.

A management problem - bracken encroaching on a hillside in West Dorset.

We inform the landowners about the important species and habitats on their sites, and encourage them to manage these sites in a way which is sympathetic to their particular wildlife interest. We offer free advice about the best management techniques for the different habitats, such as appropriate cutting or grazing regimes for grassland, coppice rotations and provision of dead wood in woodlands, management of hedgerows and field margins, restoration of ponds etc.

Liaison officer providing on-site advice to a farmer

We try to help farmers to obtain grant aid for such environment-friendly land management by putting them in touch with the grant agencies and helping them to fill in the forms.

The main source of grant-aid over the last few years has been Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). The system of agri-environment grants under which they have made payments to farmers over the last 10 or more years is currently changing, and one of the challenges for this project is to keep abreast of these changes and be ready to help farmers in entering the new grant schemes as they are rolled out across the country from 2005.

We also organise workshops and practical demonstrations on ways in which landowners and managers can incorporate measures to encourage wildlife into their farming activities. Past events have been on field margins, hedgerow management and orchard management, and have been organised in partnership with other organisations such as FWAG(Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group).

Because we can't visit all our site owners very frequently, we also produce an annual newsletter which provides answers to particular management problems, and gives information on various species and habitats, and useful contacts for other organisations.

Finally we use the information for campaigning and lobbying at local and national level for changes to farming practices and subsidies away from the 'agri-business' ethic of the last 20-30 years towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly system which will help to maintain the biodiversity of the county.

Note: SNCI recognition confers no rights of access whatever on a site beyond existing Public Rights of Way.

For further information contact Sharron Abbott.