Sites of Special Scientific Interest


Some places in Wales, England and Scotland are considered so important to the nation's natural heritage that they are notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSIs. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (amended in 1985), the Government has a duty to notify as an SSSI any land which it considers to be of special interest because of its flora, fauna, geological or geographical features.

SSSI's cover over 10 per cent of the land area of Wales and cover a huge range of habitats. These habitats can include small fens, marshland, sand dunes, woodlands and vast tracts of uplands. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path alone will take the walker through 17 SSSIs - to try out a Pembrokeshire Coastal walk, visit our walks page here. An SSSI is not necessarily owned by a conservation body or government; most are in private hands, although some are owned and managed by wildlife trusts in the area, and an areas designation as a site does not in itself make it accessible to the public. The Countryside Council for Wales work in partnership with the owners and occupiers of SSSIs to sensitively manage the sites and enhance their special interest.

Many SSSIs are also Nature Reserves - you can check out our growing guide to some of the areas' reserves here.