Assessing Conservation Status: The UK Approach - JNCC

Assessing Conservation Status: The UK Approach
restrict the timeframe to the foreseeable future and not much beyond the next two reporting
rounds or 12-15 years. Conclusions were informed on by likely trends in the habitat range
and area, the disparity between the current habitat range/area and that of the favourable
reference value, and how much of the habitat might be favourable in condition in 12-15 years
time. The latter was mainly informed on by the future-favourability analysis of CSM
assessments, recognising the results from this analysis were at best indicative of the future
condition, the importance of the condition of SAC network within the overall resource, that
some additional recovery was probable once further conservation measures are put into place,
and the individual characteristics of each habitat type. A judgement was then made as to
whether less than 75%, between 75-95%, or more than 95% of the total UK habitat area was
likely to be favourable in 12-15 years. These thresholds pointed to respective conclusions of
Unfavourable-Bad, Unfavourable-Inadequate, or Favourable.
3.2.5. Determining overall conservation status of a habitat
The EC Guidance Annex E evaluation matrix (Table 3.1) summarises the rules by which the
conclusions on each of the habitat assessment parameters and overall are reached.
Table 3.1 ANNEX E - Assessing conservation status of a habitat type: Evaluation matrix
Parameter
Favourable
('green')
Unfavourable –
Inadequate
('amber')
Conservation Status
Unfavourable - Bad
('red')
Unknown
(insufficient
information to make
an assessment)
No or insufficient
reliable information
available
Range Stable (loss and Any
other Large decrease:
expansion in balance)
or increasing AND
combination
Equivalent to a loss
of more than 1% per
not smaller than the
year within period
'favourable reference
range'
specified by MS
OR
More than 10%
below ‘favourable
reference range’
Area covered by Stable (loss and Any
other Large decrease in No or insufficient
habitat type within expansion in balance) combination
surface area: reliable information
range
or increasing AND
Equivalent to a loss available
not smaller than the
of more than 1% per
'favourable reference
year (indicative value
area' AND without
MS may deviate from
significant changes in
if duly justified)
distribution pattern
within period
within range (if data
specified by MS
available)
OR
With major losses in
distribution pattern
within range
OR
More than 10%
below ‘favourable
reference area’
Specific structures Structures and Any
other More than 25% of the No or insufficient
and functions functions (including combination
area is unfavourable reliable information
(including typical typical species) in
as regards its specific available
species)
good condition and
structures and
no significant
functions (including
deteriorations /
typical species)
pressures.
Future prospects (as The habitats Any other The habitats No or insufficient
Second Report by the United Kingdom under Article 17 on the implementation of the Directive from
January 2001 to December 2006
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