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Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

 

 
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Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
 
 
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The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament

An act of Parliament is a statute wikt:enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. It is broadly equivalent to an act of Congress in the United States....
 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 which aims to protect the wildlife
Wildlife

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals, and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
 and countryside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. The Act is split into 4 parts covering 74 sections, it also includes 17 schedules.








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The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament

An act of Parliament is a statute wikt:enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. It is broadly equivalent to an act of Congress in the United States....
 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 which aims to protect the wildlife
Wildlife

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals, and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
 and countryside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. The Act is split into 4 parts covering 74 sections, it also includes 17 schedules.

Part I: Wildlife


Part I includes sections 1 to 27 of the Act. The legislation contained in these sections covers:
  • Protection of wild birds, their eggs and nests
  • Protection of other animals
  • Protection of plants
  • Miscellaneous
Introduction into the wild of species that are not native to Great Britain or are otherwise banned
The import or export of endangered species.


Part II: Nature Conservation, Countryside & National Parks


Part II includes sections 28 to 52 of the Act. The legislation contained in these sections covers:
  • Nature conservation
Areas of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest

A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon them, including National Nature Res...
Limestone Pavements
National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserve

National nature reserve is a United Kingdom government conservation designation for a nature reserve of national significance for biological or earth science interest....
s
Marine Nature Reserve
Marine Nature Reserve

Marine Nature Reserve is a British conservation designation officially awarded by the government to a marine reserve of national significance....
s
  • Countryside
  • National Parks
    National parks of the United Kingdom

    National parks of the United Kingdom are managed areas of outstanding landscape where habitation and commercial activities are restricted. There are 14 national parks in the United Kingdom at present with 9 in England covering 7% of England's land area, 3 in Wales covering around 20% of the land area of Wales, and 2 in Scotland covering just...


Part III: Public Rights of Way


Part III includes sections 53 to 66 of the Act. The legislation contained in these sections covers:
  • Ascertainment of public rights of way
(The duties of government bodies to identify and maintain records about Public Rights of Way)
  • Miscellaneous & Supplemental
Some responsibilities of owners of land crossed by a Public Right of Way
Regulation of traffic on Public Rights of Way


Part IV: Miscellaneous & General


Part IV includes sections 67 to 74 of the Act. The legislation contained in these sections covers:
  • Application of the Act to Crown land
  • Application of the Act to the Isles of Scilly
  • Offences by 'bodies corporate'
  • Financial provisions


Schedules


The Act contains 17 schedules.
  • Schedules 1 to 10 relate to powers under Part I of the Act
  • Schedules 11 to 13 relate to powers under Part II of the Act
  • Schedules 14 to 16 relate to powers under Part III of the Act
  • Schedule 17 lists previous legislation that was repealed in favour of this Act.


Variations


Provided below is a list - probably incomplete - of documents modifying the W&C Act 1981.

  • Statutory Instrument 1988 No. 288: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Variation of Schedules) Order 1988
  • Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1151: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Variation of Schedule 4) Order 1994


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