Site of Special Scientific Interest: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a conservation designation denoting the lowest level of protected area in the United Kingdom.

Legal status

SSSIs are defined as any land of special interest because of its fauna, flora, geological or physiographical features.

The designation can be made by English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales or the Environment and Heritage Service (Northern Ireland).

The legal framework for SSSIs was provided by the Wildlife and Countryside Acts of 1981 and 1985, and the protection of SSSIs was enhanced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000.

SSSIs in England

• SSSIs in the Somerset Levels:
  • Brean Down
  • Bridgwater Bay
  • Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors
  • Cheddar Reservoir
  • Curry and Hay Moors
  • King's Sedgemoor
  • Langmead and Weston Level
  • Moorlinch
  • North Moor
  • Shapwick Heath
  • Southlake Moor
  • Street Heath
  • Tealham and Tadham Moor
  • West Moor
  • West Sedgemoor
  • Westhay Heath
  • Westhay Moor
  • Wet Moor

• SSSIs in Warrington and surrounding area:
  • Woolston Eyes

• SSSIs in Norfolk:
  • Cley next the Sea
  • Halvergate Marshes
  • Upper Thurne Broads and Marshes

• SSSIs in Sheffield:
  • Ladies Spring Wood
  • Loxley and Wadsey
  • Middlewood Hospital
  • Rivelin Valley

• SSSIs in Derbyshire:
  • Abney & Bretton Cloughs
  • Ambergate And Ridgeway Quarries
  • Bage Mine
  • Baileycroft Quarry
  • Ballidon Dale
  • Bee's Nest And Green Clay Pits
  • Bonsall Leys
  • Boulton Moor
  • Bradwell Dale And Bagshaw Cavern
  • Bradwell Meadows
  • Breadsall Railway Cutting
  • Calke Park
  • Calton Hill
  • Carver's Rocks
  • Castleton
  • Cawdor Quarry
  • Chatsworth Old Park
  • Chrome And Parkhouse Hills
  • Clough Woods
  • Colehill Quarries
  • Combs Reservoir
  • Coombs Dale
  • Crabtree Wood
  • Cressbrook Dale
  • Creswell Crags
  • Cromford Canal
  • Dale Quarry
  • Dark Peak
  • Dirtlow Rake And Pindale
  • Doe Lea Stream Section
  • Dove Valley And Biggin Dale
  • Duchy Quarry
  • Duckmanton Railway Cutting
  • Eastern Peak District Moors
  • Edale
  • Fall Hill Quarry
  • Fox Hole Cave
  • Gang Mine
  • Ginny Spring,whitwell Wood
  • Goyt Valley
  • Green Lane Pits
  • Harewood Grange Stream Section
  • Hilton Gravel Pits
  • Hipley Hill
  • Hollinhill And Markland Grips
  • Hulland Moss
  • Jumble Coppice
  • Kedleston Park
  • Kirkham's Silica Sandpit
  • Lathkill Dale
  • Lee Farm Meadow, Tideswell
  • Leek Moors
  • Long Dale & Gratton Dale
  • Long Dale, Hartington
  • Longstone Moor
  • Ludworth Intake
  • Masson Hill
  • Matlock Woods
  • Mercaston Marsh And Muggington Bottoms
  • Monk's Dale
  • Morley Brick Pits
  • Moss Valley
  • Moss Valley Meadows
  • Moss Valley Woods
  • Ogston Reservoir
  • Oxlow Rake
  • Parwich Moor
  • Poole's Cavern And Grin Low Wood
  • Portway Mine
  • River Derwent At Hathersage
  • River Mease
  • Rose End Meadows
  • Rowlee Bridge
  • Shining Cliff Woods
  • Stoney Middleton Dale
  • The Wye Valley
  • Ticknall Quarries
  • Tideslow Rake
  • Toddbrook Reservoir
  • Topley Pike And Deepdale
  • Upper Lathkill
  • Via Gellia Woodlands
  • Waterswallow's Quarry
  • Wyns Tor
  • Yarncliff Wood, Padley

SSSIs in Scotland

SSSIs in Wales

SSSIs in Northern Ireland