Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside for Northern Ireland (CNCC)

Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) 1st Floor, Calvert House 23 Castle Place Belfast BT1 1FY Northern Ireland, BT1 1FY United Kingdom Tel. + 44 28 9054 835 / 744 Fax + 44 28 9054 4856 secretariat-hillst@doeni.gov.uk www.cnccni.gov.uk

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Current and Future Activities

Establishment and Mission

Council Members and Staff Members

Working Style

List of Selected Publications 

Current and Future Activities

Present Priority Fields

Marine and Coastal

• Marine conservation;
• Aquaculture;
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management;
• Marine Bill;
• restoration of Modiolus in Strangford Lough; 
• pollution; 
• the Irish Sea Pilot Study; 
• the Inshore Fisheries Review.

Planning and Landscape

• National Parks;
• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty;
• Planning Policy Statements (PPS): Sustainable Development in the Countryside (PPS14), PPS19 - Areas of Mineral Constraint; 
• Landscape Character Areas.

Renewables and Waste

• Biogas and Biomass Planning;

• Policy Statements on renewables.

Agri-environmental policy

• CAP Health Check; 

• the LFA Review; 

• the DARD Evidence and Innovation Strategy.

Access and amenity

• Review of Public Administration (RPA) strategic changes;

• Research on health and recreation;

• Development of access routes.

Ecosystems and designations

• Implementation of the Water Framework Directive;

• ASSIs (Areas of Special Scientific Interest) Condition Assessment;

• Northern Ireland Countryside Survey;

• Management and designation of protected areas, including National Nature Reserves, ASSIs and Local Nature Reserves;

• Effectiveness of designated sites in protecting habitats and species;

• Ancient Woodlands;

• Salmonid SAC.

Future Priority Fields

• Strategic Environmental Assessment;
• Impact of CAP reforms in nature conservation;
• Marine Conservation;
• Access in the Countryside;
• Review of Renewable Energy.

Past Priority Fields

Planning and Landscape:

• Planning Policy Statements (PPS): Nature Conservation (PPS2), Renewable Energy (PPS18) and Coastal Development (PPS20)

Renewables and Waste 

• Windfarms

Access and amenity 

• Recreation in forest areas.

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Background and Mission

Establishment

The CNCC was established in 1989 under the provisions of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1989. Its statutory role is also covered by the provisions of The Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002.

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Mission

The council advises the government on many issues relating to nature conservation and the protection of the countryside such as planning and landscape issues including National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; designation of Areas of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserves; protection of wildlife species and other nature conservation issues both terrestrial and marine.

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Council Members

CNCC is made up of 18 members who cover a wide range of environmental expertise and experience throughout Northern Ireland. Membership of the Council is sought through public advertisement and appointments are ratified by the Minister for the Environment. The term of appointment is for a three year period, but members might be eligible for a re-appointment subject to satisfactory service. However, members can have an option for a further period in competition with other applicants. 

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Staff Members

There are 3 Secretariat staff. The offices of the Council are located in a government building. It should be noted though that CNCC is an independent statutory advisory body.

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Work Style

Tasks of the Council

The Council's functions set out in the (above mentioned) areas of legislation can be summarised as follows:

• to advise the Department of the Environment on matters relating to nature conservation;
• to enquire into and report on matters affecting the natural beauty or amenity of any place in Northern Ireland;
• to advise the Department of the Environment on the establishment and management of national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty, areas of special scientific interest and nature reserves;
• to advise the Minister on the establishment and management of Marine Nature Reserves;
• to advise the Department of the Environment on the protection of wildlife species;
• to advise on payment of grants to voluntary conservation bodies and on promotional and educational activities.

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Substructure and Working Groups

The Council established six Working Groups (WG) to consider a more detailed analysis and assessment of the state of our environment. In some instances this has resulted in the preparation of position statements:

• The Marine and Coastal Group was established to consider the many issues of marine conservation. This is particularly relevant in view of the UK Governments proposed Marine Bill due to come before Parliament soon. The Group consists of three members, two co-opted members and representatives from the NI Environment Agency (NIEA), Planning and Environmental Policy Group (PEPG) and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and meets on an ad hoc basis. The WG is currently working on marine conservation, restoration of Modiolus in Strangford Lough , aquaculture, Integrated Coastal Zone Management, a Marine Bill, pollution, the Irish Sea Pilot Study, the Inshore Fisheries Review;
• Planning and Landscape Group: The CNCC established a Planning and Landscape Group to consider the many important issues relating to planning policy, development control and development plans and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) Protected Landscape Policy. The Group consists of 4 members, two co-opted members and representatives of the NIEA and meets on an ad hoc bas. The WG is currently working on these issues: the Mourne National Park; Areas of Outstanding National Beauty; Planning Policy Statements - PPS14 Sustainable Development in the Countryside, and PPS19 - Areas of Mineral Constraint.
• Sustainable Development, Energy, Renewables and Waste Group: The Council established this Group to consider the issues associated with government's policy on alternative forms of energy use and the implications for the environment. Recently the group has expanded its remit to investigate the impact of waste on nature conservation and the countryside. The Group consists of seven members.
• Agri-environment Group: The Council established this Group because of the close links of the environment with the agricultural industry and considers many of the issues associated with farming and agri-environment schemes and the impact on habitats and species. The Group consists of seven members. The WG is currently working on the CAP Health Check; the LFA Review; the DARD Evidence and Innovation Strategy 
• Countryside, Access and Rural Issues, Landscape Group: The Council established this Group to consider the issues associated with access and amenities which have significance for nature conservation and the countryside in Northern Ireland. Council is keen to see much wider public access in the countryside and recreational strategies developed to their full potential. We believe that these aims could provide major benefits to the physical and mental health of the population. The Group consists of 11 members, 2 co-opted members. The WG is currently working on: RPA strategic changes; research on health and recreation; the development on access routes and coastal paths.
• Ecosystems and Designations Group: The Council established this Group to consider the many issues associated with the protection and designation of Northern Ireland's areas of scientific interest relating to land and waterways, habitats and species. The Group consists of six members and two co-opted members. Currently the WG is working on these issues: Implementation of the Water Framework Directive; ASSI Condition Assessment; NI Countryside Survey; Management and designation of protected areas; Ancient Woodlands; Effectiveness of designated sites in protecting habitats and species.

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Type of Advice

The CNCC advice feeds to the Government mostly through the new NI Environment Agency, an Agency of the Department of the Environment, and in response to various government consultations. It may also have direct access to the Minister of the Environment through meetings and correspondence.

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Council Meetings

The main Council meets once every two months with ad hoc meetings of Council and its working groups throughout the year to deal with specific issues. Proposed dates of Council meetings for the year 2009 are: 8th/9th January, 6th March, 8th May, 26th June, 3rd/4th September and 6th November. There are no dates for the ad hoc meetings since they can be arranged for any date.

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Activities in the EEAC Network

CNCC joined EEAC in 2008. It is represented the EEAC working groups Energy and Biodiversity, and an observer in the working groups Marine and Governance.

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List of Selected Publications

You can search for the full list of policy advice in the EEAC  Search Engine which also includes the titles in English of publications available in original language only.

The Council will from time to time issue position papers and reports and responds to consultation documents. Our current position papers are as follows: 

• Access to the Northern Ireland Countryside, Position statement (2008);
• Seventh Report, 2003-2006 (2007);
• Genetically Modified Organisms, Position statement (2005);
• Towards a Policy on Renewable Energy, Position statement (January 2005),  (under review 2008);
• The Development of Agri-Environment Policy in Northern Ireland from 2006, Position statement (September 2004).

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