This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of conservation environmental legislation that may affect your business in Northern Ireland. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
Conservation legislation for Northern Ireland sets out measures to conserve and protect wildlife and habitats and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) or areas of special scientific interest (ASSI). It also creates criminal offences for deliberately capturing, killing, disturbing or trading protected animals and picking, collecting, cutting, uprooting, destroying or trading protected plants.
In Northern Ireland, the main piece of legislation relating to nature conservation is contained in the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. This is supplemented by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 for the conservation of natural habitats, wild fauna and flora.
The list of legislation that follows is not exhaustive. For a more complete list of nature conservation legislation, please contact the UK government conservation bodies.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
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Adds Canada Geese to the list of species protected in the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
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Protects certain birds, plants, animals, marine life and their habitats, including Natura 2000 sites, through creating criminal offences and changing planning requirements.
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Amends 1995/380 to make it illegal to trade in protected species of animals and wild plants from any EU country. Amends the definition of ‘wild birds’ to include all EU wild birds.
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Amends 1995/380 with additional measures for conserving natural habitats and wild flora and fauna in Northern Ireland, including modifying the offence of deliberately disturbing wild animals, particularly animals and plants protected by European law.
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Amends 1995/380 to cover monitoring capturing and killing, increasing the protection of wild animals, and reducing the scope of available defences.
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Amends 1995/380 to meet the requirements of the Wild Birds Directive by classifying suitable sites as special protection areas.
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Covers several environmental issues, including pollution prevention control, assessment and management of air quality, and designation of areas of special scientific interest (ASSIs).
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Brings into force rules to force polluters to prevent and repair damage to water systems, land quality, species and their habitats and protected sites. The polluter does not have to be prosecuted first, so remedying the damage should be faster.
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Amends 2009/252 to update how warrants can be issued and enforced, give magistrates more flexibility in the fines they can apply for conviction and to clarify that references to European legislation include any future amendments.
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Sets out rules for import, export and re-export, and internal EU trade in specimens of wild fauna and flora.
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Establishes Natural England as the main body responsible for conserving, enhancing and managing England’s natural environment. It also covers biodiversity, pesticides harmful to wildlife and the protection of birds.
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Establishes the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside and sets out the DoE's rights and duties to protect and enhance sites of natural beauty or special scientific interest in Northern Ireland.
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Amends 1989 to replace the Committee for Nature Conservation and the Ulster Countryside Committee with the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside.
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Requires that planning application decisions consider the potential environmental impact of the project. Sets out which developments require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the rules and procedures relating to EIAs.
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Makes it an offence to interfere with certain species of wild animals and plants, with certain exceptions, which require a licence. Specifies open and closed periods for hunting of limited species, with special protection for deer.
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Amends the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 and the Environment (NI) Order 2002 and adds new provisions to protect a greater range of plants, animals, birds and to increase protection to Areas of Special Scientific Interest. Gives authorities new powers.
