Special Protection Areas (SPA)

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.

Identifier: NRW_DS98775

Alternative Title

Protected sites: Special Protection Areas
Sites (SPA)
SPA Special Protection Areas.lyr
Marine protected areas SPA.lyr
pSPA Proposed Special Protection Areas.lyr

Metadata Language: English

Lineage: 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.

Additional Information: 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.

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

Temporal Extent

Begin date: 2000-01-01

End date: 2017-11-29

Topic category

Biota
Environment
Imagery base maps earth cover

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: inapplicable

Distribution

Format Type and Description

Geographic Information System ( )

Specification

ESRI Feature Class

Resource Locator: View and Download ( WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link )

Resource Locator: Web Mapping Service ( OGC:WMS )

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: 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.

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

Natura 2000 (N2K)
birds (see also specific species,groups eg.seabirds and bird studies)
geographical information systems (GIS)
habitat conservation
Special Protection Areas (SPAs) (see also proposed Special Protection Area pSPA)

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2024-06-19

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

Keywords

SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary

Habitat characterisation
Habitat extent

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2024-06-19

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

Keywords

NRW SMNR Keywords

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

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2024-06-26

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: 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.

Metadata

File Identifier: 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-3938373735 XML

Metadata Language: English

Resource type: Dataset

Metadata Date: 2024-12-13T16:01:00.244Z

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 Protection Areas (SPA)

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

Metadata

Metadata

Publishing Body