Glossary of Site Designations

County GeoSite (CGS): Local, non-statutory designation. County GeoSites recognise places of geological or geomorphological interest at a local level, highlighting their importance for understanding Suffolk’s landscape, geology, and natural heritage. Further information is available on the GeoSuffolk website.

County Wildlife Site (CWS): Local, non-statutory designation. CWSs recognise the high value of a site for wildlife. Many sites are of county, regional, or national importance. They may be privately or publicly owned and vary in size and shape, from small meadows, green lanes, dykes, and hedges to ancient woodlands, heathland, commons, and marshes. Find out more about Suffolk’s protected sites.

Ramsar Site: International designation. Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, established in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. Find out more at JNCC.

Roadside Nature Reserve (RNR): Local designation, managed by Suffolk County Council. Roadside Nature Reserves are verges that support species-rich plant communities, including plants of national or county importance. Most RNRs also hold County Wildlife Site status. Suffolk’s network of RNRs is one of the most significant in England and represents an important refuge for wildflowers, invertebrates, and other wildlife in an otherwise intensively farmed landscape.

Special Area of Conservation (SAC): UK designation (formerly European). SACs are strictly protected sites originally designated under the EC Habitats Directive and now retained in UK law. They conserve a range of rare, threatened, or endemic habitat types and species. Find out more at JNCC.

Special Protection Area (SPA): UK designation (formerly European). SPAs are strictly protected sites originally classified under the EC Birds Directive (1979) and now retained in UK law following the UK’s departure from the European Union. They are classified for rare and vulnerable birds and for regularly occurring migratory species. Find out more at JNCC.

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): UK designation. The statutory nature conservation agencies have a duty under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended, to notify any area of land which in their opinion is of special interest by reason of its flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features. Find out more at JNCC.