
Conservationists have raised concerns that wildlife may be “disappearing in the dark” after it emerged that three-quarters of England’s most critical habitats, wildlife, and natural features have not been recently assessed for their condition.
The alarm follows the release of data on protected natural sites, known as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), which have undergone condition assessments in the past five years. SSSIs are legally protected due to their special features, including rare species and threatened habitats. Covering over 1.1 million hectares (2.7 million acres), they account for approximately 8% of England’s land area.
According to figures from Natural England, nearly two-fifths of the habitats and features within SSSIs were classified as being in an unfavourable condition. Moreover, only 3,384 features—or about 25%—have been assessed since 2019, leaving 10,148 features (75%) without an up-to-date evaluation.
These findings, disclosed following a request by PA Media, highlight the limited resources available to environmental watchdogs. Conservationists describe the situation as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those tasked with protecting England’s natural heritage.
SSSIs play a key role in the UK’s pledge to conserving 30% of its land and seas for nature by 2030—a target referred to as the 30×30 commitment, first announced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Richard Benwell, the chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “The protected site network is critical natural infrastructure supporting wildlife, health and wellbeing, and a resilient economy. But with over three-quarters of sites not inspected in the last five years, regulators will have no idea whether they are in good condition and the government won’t know where it should be targeting its efforts in order to reach critical 2030 targets.
“Wildlife could be disappearing in the dark while ecosystems break down. It’s like shutting the door on a new power plant and not visiting for a decade.”
Of the SSSI features assessed, more than 5,000 (39%) were found to be in an unfavourable state during their last evaluation, which may have occurred before 2019. Among these, 10% were declining, while 22% showed signs of recovery. About 40% of features were in a favourable condition, over a fifth were marked as “not recorded” due to incomplete data, and fewer than 0.5% had been destroyed.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “Protected sites are at the heart of our vision for making space for rare habitats and threatened species to thrive as well as green spaces for us all to enjoy. It’s why this government has wasted no time in establishing a rapid review of our plan to deliver on our legally binding targets for the environment, including measures to improve the condition of protected sites. We will deliver a new statutory plan that will help restore our natural environment.”
Natural England is working on a long-term plan to improve monitoring, including using remote sensing technology and better data integration. Despite government pledges, research published in October revealed that only 2.93% of England’s land is currently “effectively protected” for nature. The decline is attributed to deteriorating SSSI quality driven by climate change, water pollution, and overgrazing.
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