The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (1995 No. 380).

These Regulations make provision for the purpose of implementing, for Northern Ireland, Council Directive 92/43/EEC(6) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (referred to in these Regulations as the Habitats Directive ). The Department shall exercise its functions under the enactments relating to nature conservation so as to secure compliance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive. Those enactments include: 1) Parts V and VI of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985(7); 2) Part II of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985(8); and these Regulations. (3) In relation to marine areas any competent authority having functions relevant to marine conservation shall exercise those functions so as to secure compliance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive. Part II regulates conservation of natural habitats and habitat of species; firstly provides for the selection of sites eligible for identification as of Community importance (European Sites); then provides for register of European sites; the Department may enter into an agreement (a management agreement ) with any person having an estate in any land forming part of a European site, or land adjacent to such a site, for the management, conservation, restoration or protection of the site, or any part of it; control of potentially damaging operations is done following declaration under Article 24 of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (declaration of areas of special scientific interest) specifying (a)the flora, fauna or geological, physiographical or other features by reason of which the land is of special scientific interest, and (b)any operations and activities appearing to the Department to be likely to damage the flora or fauna or those feature. Where a declaration is applied the Department shall pay compensation to any person having at the time the declaration is so applied an estate in land comprised in an agricultural unit (within the meaning of Article 2(2) of the Planning Blight (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1981(1)).
Part III concerns Protection of species (animals and plants); the species of animals listed in Annex IV(a) to the Habitats Directive whose natural range includes any area in Northern Ireland are listed in Schedule 2 to these Regulations. The species of plants listed in Annex IV(b) to the Habitats Directive whose natural range includes any area in Northern Ireland are listed in Schedule 4. The Part establishes a prohibition of certain methods of taking or killing wild animals; provides that it is an offence deliberately to pick, collect, cut, uproot or destroy a wild plant of a European protected species; regulates licensing.