4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-3938373735 English Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en 2026-03-03T12:00:55.587Z NRW 1.0 wel British National Grid (EPSG::27700) Special Protection Areas (SPA) Special Protection Areas (SPA) Ardaloedd Gwarchodaeth Arbennig (AGA) Protected sites: Special Protection Areas Sites (SPA) SPA Special Protection Areas.lyr Marine protected areas SPA.lyr pSPA Proposed Special Protection Areas.lyr 2022-11-28 NRW_DS98775 This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of all Spatial Protection Areas (SPAs) in Wales. The EC Birds Directive of 1979 requires member states to establish SPAs to conserve the habitats of two categories of birds: i) Species which are rare or vulnerable, of which there are forty-eight in the UK. ii) Some migratory species which visit our shores regularly. SPAs in Wales are identified by NRW, in conjunction with the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and designated by the First Minister for the Welsh Assembly Government. These sites are also protected through being Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The 1994 Conservation Regulations also provide a means of protecting such areas at sea. SPAs together with SACs will contribute to a European Union network of protected sites to be known as 'Natura 2000' (N2K sites). SPAs have been designated over a number of years, from 1982 to the present day, and are on-going. The data has been held digitally since the mid1990s. This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of all Spatial Protection Areas (SPAs) in Wales. The EC Birds Directive of 1979 requires member states to establish SPAs to conserve the habitats of two categories of birds: i) Species which are rare or vulnerable, of which there are forty-eight in the UK. ii) Some migratory species which visit our shores regularly. SPAs in Wales are identified by NRW, in conjunction with the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and designated by the First Minister for the Welsh Assembly Government. These sites are also protected through being Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The 1994 Conservation Regulations also provide a means of protecting such areas at sea. SPAs together with SACs will contribute to a European Union network of protected sites to be known as 'Natura 2000' (N2K sites). SPAs have been designated over a number of years, from 1982 to the present day, and are on-going. The data has been held digitally since the mid1990s. Mae'r set ddata ofodol hon yn cynnwys ffiniau digidol yr holl Ardaloedd Gwarchodaeth Gofodol (AGG) yng Nghymru. Yn unol â Chyfarwyddeb Adar 1979 y CE rhaid i aelod wladwriaethau sefydlu AGA i warchod cynefinoedd dau gategori o adar: i) Rhywogaethau sy'n brin neu dan fygythiad - mae pedwar deg wyth ohonynt yn y DU. ii) Rhai rhywogaethau mudol sy'n ymweld â'n glannau'n rheolaidd. Mae Ardaloedd Gwarchodaeth Arbennig yn cael eu nodi yng Nghymru gan CNC, mewn cydweithrediad â Chydbwyllgor Cadwraeth Natur y DU, a'u dynodi gan Brif Weinidog Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru. Mae'r safleoedd hyn yn cael eu gwarchod drwy eu dynodiad yn Safleoedd o Ddiddordeb Gwyddonol Arbennig (SoDdGA) hefyd. Mae Rheoliadau Cadwraeth 1994 yn darparu modd o amddiffyn ardaloedd morol o'r fath hefyd. Bydd Ardaloedd Gwarchodaeth Arbennig ynghyd ag Ardaloedd Cadwraeth Arbennig yn cyfrannu at rwydwaith yr Undeb Ewropeaidd o safleoedd gwarchodedig sy'n cael eu hadnabod fel 'Natura 2000' (safleoedd N2K). Mae Ardaloedd Gwarchodaeth Arbennig wedi'u dynodi dros nifer o flynyddoedd, o 1982 hyd heddiw, ac maent yn parhau. Mae'r data wedi'i gofnodi'n ddigidol ers canol y 1990au. Datganiad priodoli Yn cynnwys gwybodaeth Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru © Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru a Hawl Cronfa Ddata. Cedwir pob hawl. Yn cynnwys data Arolwg Ordnans. Rhif Trwydded Arolwg Ordnans AC0000849444. Hawlfraint y Goron a Hawl Cronfa Ddata. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Protected sites GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme habitat conservation geographical information systems (GIS) Natura 2000 (N2K) birds (see also specific species,groups eg.seabirds and bird studies) Special Protection Areas (SPAs) (see also proposed Special Protection Area pSPA) NRW Thesaurus 2025-01-08 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords Habitat extent Habitat characterisation SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR) Regulating Services (SMNR) Natural Resources (Incl. Features and Processes) (SMNR) Ecosystem Services (SMNR) Sea and Coast (SMNR) Cultural Services (SMNR) Management Areas (SMNR) Landscape (SMNR) Provisioning Services (SMNR) Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) Geodiversity (SMNR) Soil and Land (SMNR) NRW SMNR Keywords 2024-06-26 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-smnr-keywords There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. no limitations © 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. 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. Open Government Licence English biota environment imageryBaseMapsEarthCover Wales (WLS) -5.777741 -2.608865 51.240829 53.513067 SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2013-02-05 creation inapplicable 2000-01-01 2017-11-29 Please refer to the EC Birds Directive of 1979 and 1994 Conservation Regulations for reasons for original designations. RW has also created a subset of this dataset showing only those where relate to the marine enivronment. These are available on the Welsh Government marine planning portal. Geographic Information System Unknown ESRI Feature Class https://datamap.gov.wales/layers/inspire-nrw:NRW_SPA WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link View and Download https://datamap.gov.wales/capabilities/layer/381/?ows_service=wms OGC:WMS Web Mapping Service 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 2010-12-08 This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation. false All SPAs designated before the advent of GIS technology have been converted into digital data from paper maps of various scales. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (to CCW 2006 OS update). This update made reference back to original designation maps and all notational descriptions on these maps e.g. boundary follows Mean High Water Mark and is liable to change. All new or re-designated sites will 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 relevant NRW staff. However please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. For recent, large SPAs that were captured digitally and have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS MasterMap, please refer to OSMasterMap edition at time of capture to view the definitive boundary. Marine SPAs will be the exception as they are shown against Marine Charts, so please refer to description for definitive boundary out to sea. All SPAs designated before the advent of GIS technology have been converted into digital data from paper maps of various scales. In 2008 the whole dataset was updated to OS MasterMap (to CCW 2006 OS update). This update made reference back to original designation maps and all notational descriptions on these maps e.g. boundary follows Mean High Water Mark and is liable to change. All new or re-designated sites will 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 relevant NRW staff. However please refer to the designation map as the legal definitive boundary. For recent, large SPAs that were captured digitally and have been printed on a smaller scale map than OS MasterMap, please refer to OSMasterMap edition at time of capture to view the definitive boundary. Marine SPAs will be the exception as they are shown against Marine Charts, so please refer to description for definitive boundary out to sea.