Press Release

MoD reveal weapons of mass consumption

13 September 2005

Radio-controlled sheep collars and a determined conservation officer are just two of the Ministry of Defence's weapons when it comes to looking after 200 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 170 internationally protected sites. The Warcop team are using the tagging devices to make sure sheep are grazing in the right places to manage Helbeck Wood and Appleby Fells SSSI in the right condition for nature conservation.

They join the ranks of the special people who maintain SSSIs across England. This year's English Nature SSSI Awards * English Nature's own green Oscars * are to be presented today (Tuesday 13 September) to 19 owners and occupiers whose dedication and sheer hard graft has helped to preserve some of England's most important wildlife sites.

The awards, now in their ninth year, will be presented at a celebration lunch at the Cabinet War Rooms today (starting 11.30am). They were started as a means of recognising the inspirational efforts * not to mention the time and resources * that many owners and managers invest in making 'special' the key word in their Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Biodiversity Minister, Jim Knight, said: "The conservation of England's Sites of Special Scientific Interest is incredibly important as these are significant wildlife sites and their condition reflects the health of the English countryside.

"The flourishing condition of these sites is in large part due to the efforts, dedication and enthusiasm of individual landowners and managers and we fully recognise that without their contribution, this year's target of having 67% of SSSIs in recovering or favourable condition would not have been achieved.  It is very encouraging to see the achievements of this year's SSSI Awards winners and I am delighted to see the involvement of so many local people.  I would like to offer my congratulations to everybody involved."

The winners are as richly diverse as the wildlife and natural features that they conserve so successfully.

• Homeowner John Bovington who remortgaged his house to buy land
  to protect over 100 species of grasses and flowers in a hidden valley within the M25 in Kent;
  
• Harry and Kate King who lose 10lbs on the haymaking diet when
  they cut hay by hand to protect around ten thousand orchids on two magical acres in Worcestershire;
  
• The Ogston Bird Club, Derbyshire, who are more bird
  conservationists than bird watchers these days, who built an island for little ringed plover to breed safely;
  
• Pensioners John and Mary Howe still use hand tools on their
  traditional hay meadow and have donated seeds to a reclamation project nearby;
  
• Phil Webster and Helen Annan became unofficial wardens of the
  nature reserve next door to the youth hostel they manage and their infectious enthusiasm helped found a Friends group. This year hundreds of natterjack toadlets emerged
• an enormous success for a vital species.

More owners and managers like Phil and Helen are making efforts to welcome visitors to their sites and we have acknowledged them with additional People and Nature Awards. Enabling access can only encourage ordinary people to renew their lost links with wildlife.

English Nature's Chair, Sir Martin Doughty, in thanking the winners

of the 'green Oscars', said: "People are the key to conserving our array of wildlife and natural resources. Through giving these SSSI Awards to a handful of outstanding owners and managers, we say a heartfelt Thank You * both to them, and to the many others whose vast effort we hope to acknowledge in awards to come."

• Colourful pdf of winners can be downloaded here

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