Area of Special Scientific Interest
(ASSI)
Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)
are areas of land that have been identified by scientific survey
as being of the highest degree of conservation value. They
have a well-defined boundary and by and large remain in private
ownership. The underlying philosophy is to achieve conservation
by co-operation and in this, the part played by landowners
is fully recognised and appreciated.
When an ASSI is declared, owners and occupiers receive a
list of notifiable operations. These are activities which the
Department
considers might harm the nature conservation interest of
the site. Should a landowner wish to carry out a notifiable
operation
and the Department judges it to be incompatible with the
conservation interest, the Department will offer to enter into
a management
agreement, with the possibility of payments on conclusion
of the negotiations.
Map of peatland ASSI
sites in Northern Ireland
Click
on a marker on the map above, to find out more about the protected
sites.
