HL Deb 10 April 2001 vol 624 cc73-4WA
Earl Peel

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In view of the present foot and mouth epidemic, how many Sites of Special Scientific Interest depend on grazing animals to maintain their conservation integrity; and what percentage of such sites this represents in England. [HL14261]

Lord Whitty

English Nature estimate that around 396,000 hectares of land notified as being of special scientific interest is dependent upon grazing. This represents approximately 40 per cent of the total area of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England.

Back to