Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

What is a Special Area of Conservation?

In 1992, a European Commission directive established a series of high quality Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) across Europe that would make a significant contribution to conserving habitats and species.

This European wide network of sites is designed to promote the conservation of habitats, wild animals and plants, both on land and sea.  

The directive lists the internationally important habitats and species that occur throughout the countries in the European Union. The UK is home to 51 out of the 623 species listed in the directive.

When selecting possible SACs in the UK, the Government took advice from the statutory nature conservation agencies:

• Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
• Natural England
• Countryside Commission for Wales
• Scottish Natural Heritage
• Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland

Special Areas of Conservation in Dorset

There are currently 14 SACs in Dorset. For more information on SAC, visit the JNCC website.

Dorset Council manages the following sites that are SACs:

• Parley Common
• Pine Clump, Upton Heath
• Slop Bog
• Turners Puddle Heath