Special Areas of Conservation South Dublin County Development Plan 2022 to 2028 SDCC

<font size='2'><span style='font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:black;'>There are prime wildlife conservation areas in the country, considered to be important on a European as well as Irish level. Most Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are in the countryside, although a few sites reach into town or city landscapes, such as Dublin Bay and Cork Harbour. <a href='https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/conservation-management-planning' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Conservation management plans</a> are available for many SACs and as additional ones are approved they will be posted.</span><span style='font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;'></span></font><div><span style='font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:black;'><p style='margin:0cm 0cm 9pt; background:white;'><font size='2'><span style='font-family:Arial, sans-serif; color:black;'>The legal basis on</span><span style='color:rgb(5, 133, 218);'>)</span> which SACs are selected and designated is the<span style='box-sizing:inherit; color:rgb(5, 133, 218);'> </span><a href='https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/habitats-directive_en' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>EU Habitats Directive</a><span style='box-sizing:inherit; color:rgb(5, 133, 218);'>,</span> transposed into Irish law <span><span style='box-sizing:inherit;'>by the </span></span><a href='https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2011/si/477/made/en/pdf' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477 of 2011</a><span><span style='box-sizing:inherit;'>, as amended.</span></span></font></p><p style='margin:0cm 0cm 9pt; background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial;'><font size='2'>The Directive lists certain habitats and species that must be protected within SACs. Irish habitats include raised bogs, blanket bogs, turloughs, sand dunes, machair (flat sandy plains on the north and west coasts), heaths, lakes, rivers, woodlands, estuaries and sea inlets. The 25 Irish species which must be afforded protection include Salmon, Otter, Freshwater Pearl Mussel, Bottlenose Dolphin and Killarney Fern.</font></p><br /></span></div>