A special protection area ( SPA ) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds . Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds. Together with special areas of conservation (SACs), the SPAs form a network of protected sites across the EU, called Natura 2000 . Each SPA has an EU code – for example the North Norfolk Coast SPA has the code UK9009031 .
5-521: The Birds Directive (formally known as Council Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds ) is the oldest piece of EU legislation on the environment and one of its cornerstones which was unanimously adopted in April 1979 as the Directive 79/409/EEC. Amended in 2009, it became the Directive 2009/147/EC. It aims to protect all European wild birds and the habitats of listed species, in particular through
10-755: The European Union called Natura 2000 . In the UK the Directive is implemented by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 . This environment -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about the European Union is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Special Protection Area As at 21 September 2006, there were 252 classified SPAs and 12 proposed SPAs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994 implement
15-524: The designation of Special Protection Areas (often known by the acronym SPA). The Birds Directive is one of the EU's two directives in relation to wildlife and nature conservation, the other being the Habitats Directive . The Habitats Directive led to the setting up of a network of Special Areas of Conservation , which together with the existing Special Protection Areas form a network of protected sites across
20-742: The sea, and for these areas SSSI notification is not possible. In Scotland, some SPAs have been classified without any underpinning designation by SSSI. Special Protection Areas for Birds in Poland are called OSOPs ( Polish : Obszar Specjalnej Ochrony Ptaków ). As of 2005, there were 72 OSOP Areas designated as such. In the Netherlands, Special Protection Areas for birds are called Vogelrichtlijngebied . The Castro Verde SPA extends into six municipalities of Baixo Alentejo Subregion : Aljustrel , Almodôvar Municipality , Beja Municipality , Castro Verde Municipality , Mértola and Ourique Municipality,
25-586: The terms of the Directive in Scotland, England and Wales. In Great Britain , SPAs (and SACs) designated on land or in the intertidal area are normally also notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and in Northern Ireland as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs). For example, the Broadland SPA in eastern England is a conglomeration of some 28 SSSIs. SPAs may extend below low tide into
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