Degraded or lost Wildlife Sites record the loss of the most important non-statutory sites in Hertfordshire. They are a subset of classifications within the Local Records Centre Sites database.
Local Wildlife Sites are non-statutory sites designated at a county level as being of ecological significance and are recognised in Local Authority development plans.
The aim of this identification is to protect such sites from land management changes in connection with planning applications, which may lessen their nature conservation interest,
and to encourage sensitive management to maintain and enhance their importance. Although LWS have no statutory protection, their importance is recognised in Local Plans and the National
Planning and Policy Framework (NPPF), and they are a material consideration in the planning process. The planning and policy guidance that accompanies the NPPF describes them thus:
"Locally designated ‘Local Wildlife Sites’ and ‘Local Geological Sites’ are areas of substantive nature conservation value and make an important contribution to ecological networks and
nature’s recovery….National planning policy expects plans to identify and map these sites, and to include policies that not only secure their protection from harm or loss but also help to
enhance them and their connection to wider ecological networks".
Keyword Value: Species distribution
Originating Controlled Vocabulary: GEMET - INSPIRE Spatial Data Themes (GEMET)
Originating Controlled Vocabulary Citation: 2008-12-05
Temporal Extent
from 1997 to -
Dataset Reference Date
Date: 15/03/2023
Date Type: Revision
Lineage
Field survey principally by HMWT volunteers & staff, and (pre-2013) HBRC staff. Species Wildlife Sites surveyed by specialist groups.
Ongoing deselection of Wildlife Sites by the Wildlife Sites Ratification Group (Hertfordshire Ecology (HCC), HERC, HMWT, Natural England).
From November 2013, approved site deselections digitised using GIS by HERC.
Reserved for Hertfordshire Environmental Record Centre use.
Access limited to authorised persons only.
Copyright Controlled. Use is subject to licence.
There are restrictions on some information regarding sensitive species (e.g. bats/badgers) -
although many of these sites have now been deleted if found to be a record only.
Use Constraints
Licensed under the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement;
Hertfordshire County Council's Intellectual Property Rights
You must use the appropriate Copyright Acknowledgement;
For Publicly Available Electronic Copies the following must also be added:
The HCC Watermark;
The phrase: "Use of this data is subject to terms and conditions." set out in a legible font and conspicuous
position must form a clear hyperlink to http://www.hertsdirect.org/mapcopyright
This data is supplied without guarantee or any warranty as to the accuracy, currency or completeness,
and is provided as is, excluding any warranties of any kind, either express or implied, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
including (but not limited to) satisfactory quality or fitness for a particular purpose.