Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

This spatial dataset contains digital boundaries of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in Wales. The EC Habitats and Species Directive came into effect in 1992 with the aim of maintaining a rich variety of wildlife by protecting vulnerable habitats, and the plants and animals they support. The Habitat Directive together with the 1979 Birds Directive will lead to the establishment of a series of sites throughout Europe that will be known as 'Natura 2000'. This represents the cream of European sites and will ensure their survival for future generations. SACs have been designated over a number of years, from 1993 to the present day, and are on-going. These sites have been mapped on paper since the mid 1990s and then there was a major review from 2000 with the 'SAC Moderation Project' when the data was captured digitally for the first time.

Identifier: NRW_DS98766

Alternative Title

Candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSAC)
Special Areas Conservation.LYR
Sites (SAC)
Ardaloedd Cadwraeth Arbennig (ACA)

Metadata Language: English

Lineage: In 2005 all SACs were re-designated/designated and the number of sites doubled in Wales, so this entire dataset originated as digital data to OS Landline. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (mostly to CCW 2006 OS update). If any underpinning Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are re-notified the overlying SAC designation will likewise be put to the latest release by NRW of OS MasterMap. With the coming of GIS and its use in government departments and commercial companies mobilising the data in this way, advances the protection of these sites and the efficiency of decision making. This data has been checked by NRW staff. However please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. Large SACs that have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS Landline, please refer to OS MasterMap edition at time of transposition to view the definitive boundary.

Additional Information: Please refer to EC Habitats and Species Directive 1992 for reasons for capture of original designation. Before Special Areas of Conservation or fully designated they go through a stage of being a cSAC or candidate Special Area of Conservation, these reside in a separate layer. In addition to the NRW has also created a subset of this dataset just showing those which are Marine Special Areas of Conservation, this is available on the marine planning portal.

Dataset Reference Date (Publication): 2022-11-28

Temporal Extent

Begin date: 2000-01-01

End date: 2019-02-22

Topic category

Biota
Environment
Imagery base maps earth cover
Oceans

Owner

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Originator

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Extent

Geographic Extent: Wales (WLS)

Vertical Extent

Medin Extent Keyword: benthic boundary layer

Distribution

Format Type and Description

Geographic Information System ()

Specification

ESRI Feature Class

Resource Locator

Download Data and Web Service

World Wide Web page

Resource Locator

Web Mapping Service

World Wide Web page

Data quality

Quality Scope: Dataset

Conformity: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation
Degree: false

Lineage: In 2005 all SACs were re-designated/designated and the number of sites doubled in Wales, so this entire dataset originated as digital data to OS Landline. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (mostly to CCW 2006 OS update). If any underpinning Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are re-notified the overlying SAC designation will likewise be put to the latest release by NRW of OS MasterMap. With the coming of GIS and its use in government departments and commercial companies mobilising the data in this way, advances the protection of these sites and the efficiency of decision making. This data has been checked by NRW staff. However please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. Large SACs that have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS Landline, please refer to OS MasterMap edition at time of transposition to view the definitive boundary.

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2008-06-01

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus

species (see also endangered species)
conservation (see also conservation of specific subjects)
habitats (see also specific types of habitats)
geographical information systems (GIS)

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2023-12-31

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Keywords

SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary

Habitat extent
Habitat characterisation

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Revision): 2021-01-06

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml

Keywords

NRW SMNR Vocabulary

Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR)
Natural Resources (incl. Features and Processes) (SMNR)
Ecosystem Services (SMNR)
Geodiversity (SMNR)
Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR)
Regulating Services (SMNR)
Sea and Coast (SMNR)
Landscape (SMNR)
Provisioning Services (SMNR)
Soil and Land (SMNR)
Cultural Services (SMNR)
Management Areas (SMNR)

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Revision): 2023-12-27

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-smnr-keywords

Code: British National Grid (EPSG::27700)

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type: Other restrictions

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations: no limitations

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints: There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.

Use Constraints

Use constraints type: Other restrictions

Other constraints: © 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.

Attribution Statement

Other constraints: Open Government Licence (OGL)

Licence

Other constraints: Open Government Licence (OGL)

Metadata

File Identifier: 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-3938373636 XML

Metadata Language: English

Resource type: Dataset

Metadata Date: 2024-12-09T12:41:27.192Z

Metadata Standard Name: NRW

Metadata Standard Version: 1.0

pointOfContact

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Publishing Body

Access the portal

Full access to the portal and metadata.

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

Identification

Temporal Extent

Extent

Extent

Vertical Extent

Distribution

Distribution

Quality

Data quality

Keywords

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Spatial Reference System

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Access Constraints Directive

Access Constraints Text

Use Constraints

Attribution Statement

Licence

Metadata

Metadata

Publishing Body