Land In Natura 2000 – What Are Your Cross-Compliance Obligations?

Christine Butler, Countryside Management Branch, DARD

Farmland is rich in biodiversity, providing a home for many important rare species of plants, insects, animals and internationally important numbers of birds, including migratory flocks.

All European Union (EU) member states are required to identify and designate the best of these sites so that their special natural features are protected, maintained and restored and rare species protected. The extended European network of these special wildlife sites is known as Natura 2000.

The Natura 2000 network is made up of Special Protection Areas (SPAs), designated under the European Community (EC) Directive for the Conservation of Wild Birds, and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designated under the EC Habitats Directive to support rare, endangered or vulnerable natural habitats and species of plants or animals (other than birds). Locally over 60 sites have been put forward as part of Northern Ireland’s contribution to Natura 2000. These sites will normally have already been designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) by the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) who will have informed landowners farming within the sites of their designation.

Natura 2000 sites must not be damaged under Cross-Compliance rules. All farmers claiming Single Farm Payment and other direct payments have been required to meet Cross-Compliance conditions since January 2005. The Statutory Management Requirements of Cross-Compliance relate to EU regulations covering the environment, food safety, animal and plant health and animal welfare. If you are a landowner farming in a designated site, whether ASSI, SPA or SAC as part of the Natura 2000 network, you must meet certain requirements for the conservation of wild birds, habitats, wild flowers and animals.

Within a designated site you must:

Comply with requirements of any management agreement you have with EHS;
Comply with requirements of any agri-environment agreement;
Get consent from EHS before carrying out certain operations;
Prevent the spread of non-native species.

Within a designated site you must not:

Damage or carry out operations or activities likely to damage the site;
Breach the terms of the relevant legislation;
Kill, injure, capture or keep any wild bird without licence;
Destroy, damage, remove or keep wild bird nests or eggs, nor disturb birds whilst nesting, without licence;
Pick, cut, collect, destroy or dig up protected plants without licence;
Sell, transport or exchange any material taken from protected plants in the wild without licence;
Disturb, kill, or injure protected animals or damage, destroy or obstruct their places of shelter or breeding places without licence;
Use prohibited methods of killing or taking protected wild animals.

Breen Wood, one of the best examples of old oak woods in Northern Ireland, is a SAC located in County Antrim. This beautiful protected area extends to over 30ha and contains oak, birch, rowan and holly trees together with bilberry, bramble, honeysuckle, ferns, wood-rush and various mosses. Another example of a Natura 2000 site is Lough Foyle, situated on the north coast of Northern Ireland. This is a SPA due to the large number of migratory birds and over wintering birds it supports. The site extends to over 2,000ha and includes extensive mudflats, sandflats and saltmarsh. For further information on Cross-Compliance and Natura 2000 sites refer to the booklet ‘Cross-Compliance Verifiable Standards 2005 and 2006’ or contact Countryside Management Branch at your local DARD office. For additional information on Natura 2000 sites you should contact EHS, Conservation, Designations and Protection, Belfast, tel: 028 9056 9538 or e-mail: cdp@doeni.gov.uk