Area of Special Scientific Interest
(ASSI)
Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) are areas of
land that have been identified by scientific survey as being
of the highest degree of conservation value. They have a well-defined
boundary and by and large remain in private ownership. The
underlying philosophy is to achieve conservation by co-operation
and in this, the part played by landowners is fully recognised
and appreciated.
When an ASSI is declared, owners and occupiers receive a
list of notifiable operations. These are activities which
the Department considers might harm the nature conservation
interest of the site. Should a landowner wish to carry out
a notifiable operation and the Department judges it to be
incompatible with the conservation interest, the Department
will offer to enter into a management agreement, with the
possibility of payments on conclusion of the negotiations.
Map of peatland ASSI
sites in Northern Ireland
Click on a marker on the map above, to find out more about
the protected sites.
