Environmental Protection: a Case of Damage Limitation?

Arrangements for the protection from damaging agricultural operations of nationally important conservation areas in Britain allow for the involvement of central government ministers to resolve cases in which farmers and conservation authorities are unable to reach agreement. The different arrangements that operate in the national parks and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are considered. Under both these arrangements, the involvement of ministers in determining cases of disagreement reduced through the 1980s whilst ministersʹ support for the conservation authorityʹs view increased. It is argued that these trends resulted because the prime concern of ministers in determining cases was to limit political, not environmental, damage. This involved the conservation authority accepting the ministersʹ view of SSSI protection but ministers accepting the conservation authorityʹs view of park protection. The consequences of these findings are explored.