peter hayes
Tuesday 25th February 2003, 19:07
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
041/03 25 February 2003
MOD ANNOUNCES NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
The Ministry of Defence yesterday launched a new agreement to secure
the future of internationally important wildlife-rich sites on MoD
land.
The new Memorandum of Understanding, relating to the EC Habitats and
Birds Directives and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Sites,
reaffirms the excellent working relationship between the MoD, the
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister, the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Executive,
and the Northern Ireland Office, on initiatives to preserve important
and endangered wildlife and habitats.
To mark the event, Government officials and conservation
organisations joined the Second Permanent Under Secretary for
Defence, Mr Ian Andrews CBE TD, at a special ceremony at the Natural
History Museum.
Allan Baillie, Estates Strategy and Policy Director for Defence
Estates said:
"This Memorandum of Understanding underlines the MoD's commitment to
conservation. The vast majority of our training areas in the UK have
achieved the status of designated protected wildlife sites. The
sympathetic management and protection of these sites is one of our
primary concerns".
This is the second in a series of Memoranda of Understanding relating
to the internationally protected sites in MoD's care, the first
having been signed in 1995.
The ceremony also marked the retirement of Colonel (Retd) James Baker
MBE, Head of MoD Conservation. Colonel Baker has served as the
principal link between MoD, other Government Departments and their
agencies for over 16 years.
Notes to Editors
1. Photographs of the event can be found on the web at:
www.news.mod.uk.
2. The MoD is one of the largest public landowners in the UK. MoD
owns or uses over 300 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and over
195 sites with international conservation designations.
3. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relates to areas of land and
sea designated as a requirement of the EC Birds Directive and the EC
Habitats Directive (collectively known as Natura 2000 sites), and
also relates to Ramsar sites designated under the Convention of
Wetlands of International Importance. The aim of the MoU is to
demonstrate MoD's commitment to the sustainable management of the
total of 195 Special Protection Areas for birds, candidate Special
Areas of Conservation and Ramsar sites throughout the UK that are
under MoD control. It also encourages the development of close
working relationships between the appropriate staff in the MoD and
other Government departments and their agencies.
4. The MoD Conservation Office, part of Defence Estates, is
responsible for co-ordinating all matters relating to the
conservation of natural and cultural heritage on MoD land. Defence
Estates is an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Defence, which came
into effect on 29 March 1999, was given an enhanced role in providing
a strategic overview of the defence estate, rationalisation and
disposals, following on from the Strategic Defence Review.
041/03 25 February 2003
MOD ANNOUNCES NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
The Ministry of Defence yesterday launched a new agreement to secure
the future of internationally important wildlife-rich sites on MoD
land.
The new Memorandum of Understanding, relating to the EC Habitats and
Birds Directives and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Sites,
reaffirms the excellent working relationship between the MoD, the
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister, the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Executive,
and the Northern Ireland Office, on initiatives to preserve important
and endangered wildlife and habitats.
To mark the event, Government officials and conservation
organisations joined the Second Permanent Under Secretary for
Defence, Mr Ian Andrews CBE TD, at a special ceremony at the Natural
History Museum.
Allan Baillie, Estates Strategy and Policy Director for Defence
Estates said:
"This Memorandum of Understanding underlines the MoD's commitment to
conservation. The vast majority of our training areas in the UK have
achieved the status of designated protected wildlife sites. The
sympathetic management and protection of these sites is one of our
primary concerns".
This is the second in a series of Memoranda of Understanding relating
to the internationally protected sites in MoD's care, the first
having been signed in 1995.
The ceremony also marked the retirement of Colonel (Retd) James Baker
MBE, Head of MoD Conservation. Colonel Baker has served as the
principal link between MoD, other Government Departments and their
agencies for over 16 years.
Notes to Editors
1. Photographs of the event can be found on the web at:
www.news.mod.uk.
2. The MoD is one of the largest public landowners in the UK. MoD
owns or uses over 300 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and over
195 sites with international conservation designations.
3. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relates to areas of land and
sea designated as a requirement of the EC Birds Directive and the EC
Habitats Directive (collectively known as Natura 2000 sites), and
also relates to Ramsar sites designated under the Convention of
Wetlands of International Importance. The aim of the MoU is to
demonstrate MoD's commitment to the sustainable management of the
total of 195 Special Protection Areas for birds, candidate Special
Areas of Conservation and Ramsar sites throughout the UK that are
under MoD control. It also encourages the development of close
working relationships between the appropriate staff in the MoD and
other Government departments and their agencies.
4. The MoD Conservation Office, part of Defence Estates, is
responsible for co-ordinating all matters relating to the
conservation of natural and cultural heritage on MoD land. Defence
Estates is an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Defence, which came
into effect on 29 March 1999, was given an enhanced role in providing
a strategic overview of the defence estate, rationalisation and
disposals, following on from the Strategic Defence Review.