This page gives an overview of the complex structure of environmental and cultural conservation in the United Kingdom.
With the advent of devolved government for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and of evolving regional government for England, the responsibilities for environment and conservation in the United Kingdom have become more complicated.
There follows a list of the legislation, conservation bodies (both governmental and otherwise), and conservation designations, which work together to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the UK. A list of 'objects of conservation' provides further links.
Some of the key legislation which governs conservation issues in the UK. This list is not exhaustive.
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979Badgers Act 1991Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000Environment Act 1995Environmental Protection Act 1990Environment (Wales) Act 2016National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990Protection of Badgers Act 1992Weeds Act 1959Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD)The following are Executive Agencies of the UK government and regional executives, with note on their areas of responsibility.
Joint Nature Conservation Committee — co-ordination of regional bodiesEngland and Scotland
Forestry Commission — Forestry managementEngland
English Heritage — cultural and built heritage.Natural England — nature and wildlife conservation, landscape protection.Environment Agency — waterways, pollution, waste management.Scotland
Historic Scotland — cultural and built heritageScottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) — waterways, pollution, waste managementScottish Natural Heritage (SNH) — landscape protection, wildlife conservationCadw — cultural and built heritageNatural Resources Wales (NRW) (formerly Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission Wales and Environment Agency Wales) — protection of landscapes and rural countryside, regulation of waterways, pollution, waste managementNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) — conservation of natural and built heritageForest Service Northern IrelandNational ParksThe following designations are established or monitored by the executive agencies listed above.
Area of archaeological importance (under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979)Area of archaeological potentialConservation areaCountry parkGreen belt (intended to be a planning policy rather than a conservation designation, but often interpreted as the latter)Listed buildingLocal nature reserveRegional parkRegionally important geological siteBiosphere reservesRamsar sitesSpecial Area of Conservation (SAC)Special Protection Area (SPA)SACs and SPAs are part of Natura 2000World Heritage SitesArticle Four DirectionUnited Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP)Botanical gardens in the United KingdomChalk figures in the United KingdomForests in the United KingdomHeritage railwayList of abbeys and prioriesList of castlesList of gardensList of historic housesLong-distance footpaths in the United KingdomPiersRoman sites in the United KingdomWatermills in the United KingdomWaterways in the United KingdomWindmills in the United KingdomEngland
Abbeys and priories in EnglandCastles in EnglandCycleways in EnglandList of English Heritage propertiesGardens in EnglandHistoric houses in EnglandLighthouses in EnglandNational Trust Properties in EnglandTreasure Houses of EnglandScotland
Abbeys and priories in ScotlandCastles in ScotlandCycleways in ScotlandGardens in ScotlandHistoric houses in ScotlandLighthouses in ScotlandNational Trust for Scotland PropertiesAbbeys and priories in WalesCastles in WalesCycleways in WalesGardens in WalesHistoric houses in WalesLighthouses in WalesList of Cadw propertiesList of National Trust properties in WalesNorthern Ireland
Abbeys and priories in Northern IrelandCastles in Northern IrelandCycleways in Northern IrelandGardens in Northern IrelandHistoric houses in Northern IrelandLighthouses in Northern IrelandNational Trust Properties in Northern Ireland
