A special protection area ( SPA ) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds . Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds. Together with special areas of conservation (SACs), the SPAs form a network of protected sites across the EU, called Natura 2000 . Each SPA has an EU code – for example the North Norfolk Coast SPA has the code UK9009031 .
5-687: The Slamannan Plateau is a geographic area and special protection area in the Central Belt of Scotland which encompasses the small villages of Slamannan , Limerigg and Caldercruix . It is situated 5 km south of Falkirk and about 4 km east of Cumbernauld , at around 170 m above sea level. The area is a mosaic of improved grasslands and rough pasture which includes wetlands dominated by Juncus species (rushes), raised , blanket and intermediate bogs and two shallow lochs within Fannyside Muir. The area attracts
10-671: A nationally important population of taiga bean geese ( Anser fabalis fabalis ). The area became an area of special scientific interest on 5 September 2007 due to the Slamannan Plateau becoming the primary site for wintering taiga bean geese in the UK with over 50% of the total population in recent years. The majority of the rest of the UK population winters in Norfolk with occasional small flocks elsewhere. The geese feed, mostly by day, on agricultural fields mainly eating grasses. In
15-492: The early evening they fly to their roost sites, or if the weather is bad they can roost within their preferred feeding fields. The birds visit the area between October and the end of February each year. Special protection area As at 21 September 2006, there were 252 classified SPAs and 12 proposed SPAs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994 implement
20-752: The sea, and for these areas SSSI notification is not possible. In Scotland, some SPAs have been classified without any underpinning designation by SSSI. Special Protection Areas for Birds in Poland are called OSOPs ( Polish : Obszar Specjalnej Ochrony Ptaków ). As of 2005, there were 72 OSOP Areas designated as such. In the Netherlands, Special Protection Areas for birds are called Vogelrichtlijngebied . The Castro Verde SPA extends into six municipalities of Baixo Alentejo Subregion : Aljustrel , Almodôvar Municipality , Beja Municipality , Castro Verde Municipality , Mértola and Ourique Municipality,
25-663: The terms of the Directive in Scotland, England and Wales. In Great Britain , SPAs (and SACs) designated on land or in the intertidal area are normally also notified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and in Northern Ireland as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs). For example, the Broadland SPA in eastern England is a conglomeration of some 28 SSSIs. SPAs may extend below low tide into
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