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Metadata: Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
Abstract:
This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Wales. SSSIs cover a wide range of habitats from small fens, bogs and riverside meadows to sand-dunes, woodlands and vast tracts of uplands. Most are in private ownership, although some are owned and managed by local wildlife trusts, or other voluntary conservation bodies. Notification of an SSSI under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 has since been amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2001, which brought about numerous changes in the way SSSI are notified managed and protected. In order to ensure consistent, favourable long-term management of these sites, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) with landowners have prepared management plans for all SSSI in Wales. Local planning authorities are required to consult NRW before allowing any development to proceed that may affect an SSSI. Water, gas and electricity companies must also do the same. SSSIs have been designated, from 1949 to the present day, and are on-going. The data has been held digitally since the mid-1990s. This data has been checked by relevant NRW staff. Please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. For large SSSIs that were captured digitally and have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS MasterMap, please refer to the OS MasterMap edition at time of capture to view the definitive boundary.
Data holder:
Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
| Other details | ||
| Internal code | Internally assigned metadata identifier | 8919 |
| Title | The title is used to provide a brief and precise description of the dataset such as 'Date', 'Originating organisation/programme', 'Location' and 'Type of survey'. All acronyms and abbreviations should be reproduced in full. | Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) |
| Alternative title | The purpose of alternative title is to record any additional names by which the dataset may be known. | Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).lyr, Sites (SSSI) |
| File Identifier | The File Identifier is a code, preferably a GUID, that is globally unique and remains with the same metadata record even if the record is edited or transferred between portals or tools. | NRW_DS98776 |
| Resource Identifier | This is the code assigned by the data owner. | 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-3938373736 |
| Resource type | The resource type will likely be a dataset but could also be a series (collection of datasets with a common specification) or a service. | dataset |
| Start date | This describes the date the resource starts. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 1992-01-01 |
| Frequency of updates | This describes the frequency with which the resource is modified or updated i.e. a monitoring programme that samples once per year has a frequency that is described as 'annually'. | asNeeded |
| Abstract | The abstract provides a clear and brief statement of the content of the resource. | This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Wales. SSSIs cover a wide range of habitats from small fens, bogs and riverside meadows to sand-dunes, woodlands and vast tracts of uplands. Most are in private ownership, although some are owned and managed by local wildlife trusts, or other voluntary conservation bodies. Notification of an SSSI under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 has since been amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2001, which brought about numerous changes in the way SSSI are notified managed and protected. In order to ensure consistent, favourable long-term management of these sites, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) with landowners have prepared management plans for all SSSI in Wales. Local planning authorities are required to consult NRW before allowing any development to proceed that may affect an SSSI. Water, gas and electricity companies must also do the same. SSSIs have been designated, from 1949 to the present day, and are on-going. The data has been held digitally since the mid-1990s. This data has been checked by relevant NRW staff. Please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. For large SSSIs that were captured digitally and have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS MasterMap, please refer to the OS MasterMap edition at time of capture to view the definitive boundary. |
| Lineage | Lineage includes the background information, history of the sources of data, data quality statements and methods. | All SSSIs designated before GIS technology have been converted into digital data from paper maps of various scales. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (mostly to CCW 2006 OS update). This update referred to the original designation maps and all notational descriptions on these maps e.g. “Only the water under the bridges included in the site” OR “SSSI boundary follows, in part the lines of the Mean High and Low Water Marks; both are liable to change.” All new or re-notified sites will be put to the latest release by NRW of OS MasterMap and this information is recorded in the attribute data under the Last_Edited column. As OSMM is updated by the Ordnance Survey it is important to check where boundaries may subsequently have moved. |
| Additional information | This describes relevant references to the data e.g. reports, articles, websites plus other useful information not captured elsewhere. | Please refer to Countryside Acts 1949,1981 and 2001, for reasons for capture of original designation. NRW has also created a subset of this dataset showing only those where relate to the marine environment. These are available on the Welsh Government marine planning portal. |
| Related keywords | ||
| Keyword | General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Protected sites |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | conservation (see also conservation of specific subjects) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | habitats (see also specific types of habitats) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | geographical information systems (GIS) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Habitat extent | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Habitat characterisation | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Mountains, Moorland and Heaths (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Provisioning Services (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Regulating Services (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Ecosystem (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Sea and Coast (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Marine (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Freshwater and Wetlands (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Semi-natural Grasslands (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Management Areas (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Cultural Services (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Woodlands (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Physical Geography (Physiography) (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Coastal Margins (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Ecosystem Services (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Natural Resources (Incl. Features and Processes) (SMNR) | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Soil and Land (SMNR) | |
| Geographical coverage | ||
| North | The northern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 53.513067 |
| East | The eastern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -2.608865 |
| South | The southern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 51.240829 |
| West | The western-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -5.777741 |
| Regional sea | Wales (WLS) | |
| Responsible organisations | ||
| Role | The point of contact is person or organisation with responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the metadata for the resource. | pointOfContact |
| Organisation name | Natural Resources Wales (NRW) | |
| Delivery point | Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales | |
| enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk | ||
| URL | http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en | |
| Role | The owner is the person or organisation that owns the resource. | owner |
| Organisation name | Natural Resources Wales (NRW) | |
| Delivery point | Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales | |
| enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk | ||
| URL | http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en | |
| Role | The custodian is the person or organisation that accepts responsibility for the resource and ensures appropriate care and maintenance. If a dataset has been lodged with a Data Archive Centre for maintenance then this organisation is be entered here. | custodian |
| Organisation name | Natural Resources Wales (NRW) | |
| Delivery point | Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales | |
| enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk | ||
| URL | http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en | |
| Role | The originator is the person or organisation who created, collected or produced the resource. | originator |
| Organisation name | Natural Resources Wales (NRW) | |
| Delivery point | Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales | |
| enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk | ||
| URL | http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en | |
| Role | The distributor is the person or organisation that distributes the resource. | distributor |
| Organisation name | Natural Resources Wales (NRW) | |
| Delivery point | Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales | |
| enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk | ||
| URL | http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en | |
| Resource locators | ||
| Locator URL | Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://datamap.gov.wales/layers/inspire-nrw:NRW_SSSI |
| Locator name | Name of the web resource | Download Data and Web Service |
| Locator function | Code that describes the function of the resource. ISO function code chosen from ISO 19115-1 Codelist | information |
| Locator URL | Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://datamap.gov.wales/capabilities/layer/386/?ows_service=wms |
| Locator name | Name of the web resource | Web Mapping Service |
| Locator function | Code that describes the function of the resource. ISO function code chosen from ISO 19115-1 Codelist | information |
| Dataset constraints | ||
| 20.1 Limitations on Public Access - Access constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 20.2 Limitations on Public Access - Other constraints | This states any limitations on access to the data. Multiple occurences are allowed here. One entry shall be from the INSPIRE Metadata registry and the other free text should be part of the resource `Have specific limitations`. | There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. |
| no limitations | ||
| 21.1 Conditions for Access and Use - Use constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 21.2 Conditions for Access and Use - Other constraints | This states any constraints on use of the data. Multiple conditions can be recorded for different parts of the data resource. If no conditions apply, then `No condtions apply` is recorded. This uses free text. | © CNC/NRW All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and copyright of the owners. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose. |
| This states any constraints on use of the data. Multiple conditions can be recorded for different parts of the data resource. If no conditions apply, then `No condtions apply` is recorded. This uses free text. | Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved. Contains Ordnance Survey Data. Ordnance Survey Licence number AC0000849444. Crown Copyright and Database Right. | |
| https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ | ||
| Available data formats | ||
| Data format | Format in which digital data can be provided for transfer | Geographic Information System |
| Version info | ||
| Date of publication | The publication date of the resource or if previously unpublished the date that the resource was made publicly available via the MEDIN network. | 2026-04-01 |
| Harvest date | The date which this record has been (re)harvested from the provider. | 2026-04-19 |
| Metadata date | The date when the content of this metadata record was last updated. | 2026-04-07 |
| Metadata standard name | The name of the metadata standard used to create this metadata | MEDIN |
| Metadata standard version | The version of the MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard used to create the metadata record | 3.1.2 |