SPA selection guidelines
The Birds Directive
Selection guidelines for Special Protection Areas
Introduction
In 1979 the European Community adopted the Council Directive
on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC). This Directive is
usually referred to as the Birds Directive. It provides for the
protection, management and control of all species of naturally
occurring wild birds in the European territory of Member States. In
particular it requires Member States to identify areas to be given
special protection for the rare or vulnerable species listed in
Annex I (Article 4.1) and for regularly occurring migratory species
(Article 4.2) and for the protection of wetlands, especially
wetlands of international importance. These areas are known as
Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
These guidelines have been prepared to assist the selection of
SPAs in the UK. The process involves two stages. The
first stage is intended
to identify areas which are likely to qualify for SPA status. These
areas are then considered further using one or more of the
judgements in
Stage
2 to select the most suitable areas in number and size for SPA
classification. Stage 1's fourth guideline gives consideration,
using the Stage 2 judgements, to cases where a species' population
status, ecology or movement patterns may mean that an adequate
number of areas cannot be identified from Stage 1's first three
guidelines alone. In addition, these Stage 2 judgements are
particularly important for selecting and determining the boundaries
of SPAs for thinly dispersed and wide-ranging species.
In the application of Stage 2 judgements, a preference should
be given to those areas which contribute significantly to the
species population viability locally and as a whole. The protection
of the populations in these areas is considered alongside, and is
complemented by, other non-site-based special measures designed to
maintain populations.
The national implementation of the Natura 2000 network and
other special conservation measures need to be co-ordinated at a
European Union level to ensure the survival and reproduction in the
areas of distribution of each Annex I or migratory bird species. In
the light of this objective, selection of SPAs in the UK has regard
to conservation measures being taken for each species by other
European Union Member States.
Stage 1
- An area is used regularly by 1% or more of the Great Britain
(or in Northern Ireland, the all-Ireland) population of a species
listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC as amended) in
any season.
- An area is used regularly by 1% or more of the biogeographical
population of a regularly occurring migratory species (other than
those listed in Annex I) in any season.
- An area is used regularly by over 20,000 waterfowl (waterfowl
as defined by the Ramsar Convention) or 20,000 seabirds in any
season.
- An area which meets the requirements of one or more of the
Stage 2 guidelines in any season, where the application of Stage 1
guidelines 1, 2 or 3 for a species does not identify an adequate
suite of most suitable sites for the conservation of that
species.
Stage 2
1. Population size and density
Areas holding or supporting more birds than others and/or
holding or supporting birds at higher concentrations are favoured
for selection.
2. Species range
Areas selected for a given species provide as wide a geographic
coverage across the species'
range as possible.
3. Breeding success
Areas of higher breeding success than others are favoured for
selection.
4. History of occupancy
Areas known to have a longer history of occupation or use by the
relevant species are favoured for selection.
5. Multi-species areas
Areas holding or supporting the larger number of qualifying
species under Article 4 of the Directive are favoured for
selection.
6. Naturalness
Areas comprising natural or semi-natural habitats are favoured
for selection over those which do not.
7. Severe weather refuges
Areas used at least once a decade by significant proportions of
the biogeographical population of a species in periods of severe
weather in any season, and which are vital to the survival of a
viable population, are favoured for selection.
Glossary of terms
- Area
- Areas to be classified as SPAs should:
- be distinct in habitat and/or ornithological importance from
the surroundings and have definable and recognisable
character;
- provide the conservation requirements of the species in the
season(s) and for the particular purposes for which they are
classified.
(see also 'Use' of areas)
- Biogeographical population
- A biogeographical population is a group of birds which breed in
a particular location (or group of locations), breed freely within
the group, and rarely breed or exchange individuals with other
groups.
- Density
- The number of individuals of a species per unit area. In
practice a range of methods are used to assess numbers in SPAs, for
example, breeding pairs and singing males.
- Migratory
- Article I(1)(a) of the Bonn Convention defines a migratory
species as "the entire population or any geographically separate
part of the population of any species or lower taxon of wild
animals, a significant proportion of whose members cyclically and
predictably cross one or more national jurisdictional
boundaries."
- Natura 2000
- EU network of classified SPAs and Special Areas of Conservation
designated under the Habitats Directive.
- Population viability
- Populations which contribute most to population viability
locally and as a whole may show one or more of the following
attributes:
- a level of recruitment into the breeding population that equals
or exceeds immigration and mortality (averaged over a suitable
period of time); and/or
- small scale population fluctuations around a stable population
size; and/or
- an area supporting a population of a species which enables its
geographic range to be maintained on a long-term basis.
Best available scientific data will be used to make such
assessments.
- Ramsar Convention
- Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially
as Waterfowl Habitat. The Convention was adopted at a meeting of
countries concerned with wetlands and waterfowl held in Ramsar,
Iran in 1971 and was ratified by the UK in 1976.
- Regular
- The Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar
Convention has defined the term "regularly" as used in the Ramsar
site selection criteria and this definition applies also to these
Guidelines. A wetland regularly supports a population of a given
size if:
- the requisite number of birds is known to have occurred in two
thirds of the seasons for which adequate data are available, the
total number of seasons being not less than three; or
- the mean of the maxima of those seasons in which the site is
internationally important, taken over at least five years, amounts
to the required level (means based on three or four years may be
quoted in provisional assessments only).
In some instances however, for example species occurring in very
remote areas or which are particularly rare, areas may be
considered suitable on the basis of fewer counts.
- Source
- Area/local population, within which fecundity exceeds the sum
of mortality and immigration, and results in a net emigration of
individuals.
- Special Protection Area (SPA)
- Area classified under Article 4 of the Birds Directive.
- SPA classification
- The process of formally notifying SPAs to the European
Commission.
- Special conservation measures
- Article 4.1 of the Birds Directive requires that "special
conservation measures" are taken to conserve the habitat of species
listed in Annex I of the Directive, to ensure their survival and
reproduction in their area of distribution, in particular the
classification of SPAs. Similar measures must be taken for
regularly occurring migratory species, under Article 4.2.
- Species range
- Article 4 of the Birds Directive requires Member States to
ensure the survival and reproduction of Annex I and regularly
occurring migratory species "in their area of distribution".
Article I of the Habitats Directive necessitates, amongst other
considerations, the "natural range of the species" to be maintained
for a species' status to be regarded as favourable. The range of a
species is the limits of its geographical distribution.
- `Use' of areas
- Article 4.2 of the Birds Directive requires special measures to
be taken for migratory species at "breeding, moulting and wintering
areas and staging posts along their migration routes". The boundary
of each SPA is so determined that it delimits an area which
provides the conservation requirements of the species in the
season(s) and for the particular purposes for which it is
classified.