What's a Special Protection Area (SPA) ?

In 1992 over 150 world leaders signed the Treaty of Biological Diversity in Rio de Janeiro. They did so to express a shared belief that action must be taken to halt the world-wide loss of animal and plant species and genetic resources.

At the same time they drew up national plans and programmes and in 1995 they published 'Biodiversity'  the UK Steering Group's Report which lists species of conservation concern in the UK and provided action plans for key habitats and species.

As a result and in particular to protect some dwindling bird species, Breckland Forest was made into a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Then parts of the Forest became a Special Protection Area (SPA), (SSSI's considered to be of European importance), to ensure that habitats were offered legal protection on an even bigger stage.

The proposed quarry/landfill site at Hockham Woods is within the SPA and as such is protected by law.

If one section of SPA is lost how much more will be eaten up and their habitats destroyed?

The Forestry Commission are guardians of many of these protected areas, now they want to destroy them along with Norfolk County Council, they should be acting far more responsibly than this.

click here to see the SPA Data Form