Habitats Directive
The Habitats Directive
It was as a result of a complaint made under the EU Habitats Directive that the Irish Drift nets were finally removed in 2007. This is environmental legislation with teeth! The aim is to protect biodiversity on a pan EU scale. The Joint Nature Conservancy Council describes it thus:
"The Habitats Directive introduces for the first time for protected areas, the precautionary principle; that is that projects can only be permitted having ascertained no adverse effect on the integrity of the site. Projects may still be permitted if there are no alternatives, and there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest. In such cases compensation measures will be necessary to ensure the overall integrity of network of sites. As a consequence of amendments to the Birds Directive these measures are to be applied to SPAs also. Member States shall also endeavour to encourage the management of features of the landscape to support the Natura 2000 network."
You will find this in full at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1374
The Natura 2000 network includes the reason for listing the three SACs of interest to us and it is well worth looking at all three:
Severn Estuary: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013030
Wye: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0012642
Usk: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013007
We suspect the provisions of these Directives will be fully tested in respect of the impending Severn Barrage and hope that the stringent provisions of the Directive will not tempt legislators to attempt any dilution of its powers.
Site Plans
Countryside Council for Wales has been responsible for preparing detailed site plans for the two rivers. These can be downloaded here for the Wye and for the Usk.
