Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are protected and designated sites under the EC Habitats and Birds Directives. The Directives list habitat types and species that are considered to be most in need of conservation at a European level. An obligation for this is a programme of species and habitat monitoring across the site.
This dataset shows the results of NRWs' feature condition monitoring programme on the SACs and SPAs in Wales and contains the base data used to populate one of NRWs' corporate performance indicators. The data is updated from the active condition monitoring programme on an annual basis.
The publication of indicative condition assessments for marine features in Wales in January 2018 supersedes the information for marine features currently in this data layer. The indicative condition assessments are NRWs formal advice on condition of its European marine sites and should be used. Information on the assessments and the reports themselves can be downloaded from the following link:
https://naturalresources.wales/guidance-and-advice/environmental-topics/wildlife-and-biodiversity/find-protected-areas-of-land-and-seas/indicative-feature-condition-assessments-for-european-marine-sites-ems/?lang=en
Subsequent updates of the SAC and SPA table may provide updated assessments for a few marine features and as such any marine feature assessment dated after May 2017 should be considered to take precedence.
