What is Site of Special Scientific Interest?
[[File:Arlington Reservoir.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Arlington Reservoir, a 99.4&nbsp;[[hectare]] (245.6&nbsp;acre) biological SSSI in [[Arlington]], [[East Sussex]]]] A '''Site of Special Scientific Interest''' ('''SSSI''') is a type of legal [[conservation]] given to an area in the [[United Kingdom]]. They are sites of [[biological]] or [[geological]] interest, or both. An SSSI is a special piece of land chosen because of its important plants, animals, or natural features. It's picked under a law called the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). Only places chosen under this law after 1981 are counted. SSSIs are really special areas in England where you find lots of unique and rare plants, animals, and natural things. They're carefully mapped out on special maps made by the Ordnance Survey.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sites of Special Scientific Interest (England)|url=https://naturalengland-defra.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/Defra::sites-of-special-scientific-interest-england/about|access-date=2024-05-08|website=naturalengland-defra.opendata.arcgis.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> Any activity which might affect an SSSI is [[Law|illegal]] unless the appropriate planning body gives [[permission]]. Owners of land must do what needs to be done to [[Protected area|protect]] an SSSI which sits on their land. There may be grants available to help [[Ownership|owners]] look after the site. ==References== {{reflist}} {{stub}} [[Category:Geography of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Protected areas]]