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Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004

2004 asp 6 · Enacted 11 June 2004 · Extends to Scotland

Not fully up to date. 11 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 November 2025.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 1 cross-headinginsertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 1(2)
s. 1(2)word repealedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 1(3)(a)
s. 1(2)(c) and wordinsertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 1(3)(b)
s. 2AsubstitutedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 2(2)
s. 2B-2I and cross-headingsinsertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 1(4)
s. 38AinsertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 51(2)
s. 53(4)words insertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 1(5)
s. 53(4)word insertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 51(3)
s. 58 titlesubstitutedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 50(3)
s. 58(1)words repealedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 50(2)(a)
s. 58(4)insertedNatural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 s. 50(2)(b)

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision in relation to the conservation of biodiversity; to make further provision in relation to the conservation and enhancement of Scotland’s natural features; to amend the law relating to the protection of certain birds, animals and plants; and for connected purposes.

The Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 5th May 2004 and received Royal Assent on 11th June 2004

Contents

  1. Part 1: Biodiversity
  2. 1Duty to further the conservation of biodiversity
  3. 2Scottish Biodiversity Strategy
  4. 2AReports on compliance with biodiversity duty
  5. Part 2: Conservation and enhancement of natural features
  6. Chapter 1: Sites of special scientific interest
  7. Notification of sites of special scientific interest
  8. 3Duty to give notification of sites of special scientific interest
  9. 4Site management statements
  10. 5Enlargement of sites of special scientific interest
  11. 5ACombining sites of special scientific interest
  12. 6Review of operations requiring consent
  13. 7Addition or modification of operations requiring consent: urgent situations
  14. 8Variation of SSSI notifications
  15. 9Denotification of sites of special scientific interest
  16. 10Notifications relating to sites of special scientific interest: procedure
  17. 11Effect of SSSI notification
  18. Exercise of functions in relation to sites of special scientific interest
  19. 12Exercise of functions by public bodies etc.
  20. Operations affecting sites of special scientific interest
  21. 13Operations by public bodies etc.
  22. 14Operations by public bodies etc.: authorised operations
  23. 15Consent by certain regulatory authorities
  24. 16Operations by owners or occupiers of sites of special scientific interest
  25. 17Operations by owners or occupiers of sites of special scientific interest: authorised operations
  26. 18Appeals in connection with operations requiring consent
  27. Offences and byelaws
  28. 19Offences in relation to sites of special scientific interest
  29. 20Byelaws
  30. Restoration notices
  31. 20ARestoration notices
  32. Supplementary
  33. 21Representations to SNH on sites of special scientific interest
  34. 22SSSI register
  35. Chapter 2: Nature conservation orders
  36. 23Nature conservation orders
  37. 24Amendment or revocation of nature conservation orders
  38. 25Nature conservation orders and related orders: procedure
  39. 26Review of nature conservation orders
  40. 27Offences in relation to nature conservation orders
  41. 28Reports
  42. Chapter 3: Land management orders
  43. 29Proposals for land management orders
  44. 30Power to make land management orders
  45. 31Content of land management orders
  46. 32Review of land management orders
  47. 33Land management orders and related orders: procedure
  48. 34Appeals in connection with land management orders and related orders
  49. 35Effect of land management orders
  50. 36Offences in relation to land management orders
  51. 37Enforcement of land management orders
  52. Chapter 4: General and supplementary
  53. 38Ramsar sites
  54. 39Acquisition of land by SNH
  55. 40Restoration orders
  56. 41Signs etc.
  57. 42Change of owner or occupier
  58. 43Powers of investigation etc.: police
  59. 44Powers of entry: authorised persons
  60. 45SNH: power to enforce
  61. 46Offences: penalties and time limits
  62. 47Offences by bodies corporate etc.
  63. 48Notices, applications etc.
  64. 49Transitional arrangements
  65. Part 3: Protection of wildlife
  66. 50Protection of wildlife
  67. 51Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code
  68. Part 4: Scottish Fossil Code
  69. 52Scottish Fossil Code
  70. Part 5: General
  71. 53Orders and regulations: general
  72. 54Guidance
  73. 55Crown application
  74. 56Ancillary provision
  75. 57Minor and consequential amendments and repeals
  76. 58Interpretation
  77. 59Short title and commencement
  78. Schedule 1: Notifications relating to sites of special scientific interest: procedure
  79. 1Paragraph 1
  80. 2Paragraph 2
  81. 3Paragraph 3
  82. 4Confirmation or withdrawal of notification
  83. 5Paragraph 5
  84. 6Modification of notification
  85. 7Paragraph 7
  86. 8Paragraph 8
  87. 9Paragraph 9
  88. 10Notice of decision to confirm or withdraw
  89. 11Paragraph 11 Repealed
  90. 12Extension of period during which notification is to be confirmed or withdrawn
  91. 13Paragraph 13
  92. 14Paragraph 14
  93. 15Paragraph 15
  94. Schedule 2: Nature conservation orders and related orders: procedure
  95. 1Paragraph 1
  96. 2Paragraph 2
  97. 3Notification
  98. 4Paragraph 4
  99. 5Confirmation of nature conservation orders and amending orders
  100. 6Paragraph 6
  101. 7Paragraph 7
  102. 8Paragraph 8
  103. 9Paragraph 9
  104. 10Inquiry or other opportunity to be heard
  105. 11Paragraph 11
  106. 12Extension of period
  107. 13Paragraph 13
  108. 14Paragraph 14
  109. 15Paragraph 15
  110. Schedule 3: Land management orders and related orders: procedure
  111. 1Notification of proposals for land management order
  112. 2Paragraph 2
  113. 3Paragraph 3
  114. 4Paragraph 4
  115. 5Paragraph 5
  116. 6Power to require disclosure of information
  117. 7Paragraph 7
  118. 8Paragraph 8
  119. 9Paragraph 9
  120. 10Paragraph 10
  121. 11Notification of decision on orders
  122. 12Paragraph 12
  123. 13Paragraph 13
  124. 14Paragraph 14
  125. Schedule 4: Powers of entry of authorised persons: further provision
  126. 1Paragraph 1
  127. 2Paragraph 2
  128. 3Paragraph 3
  129. 4Paragraph 4
  130. 5Paragraph 5
  131. 6Paragraph 6
  132. Schedule 5: Part 2: transitional arrangements
  133. 1Paragraph 1
  134. 2Notifications under the 1981 Act
  135. 3Paragraph 3
  136. 4Paragraph 4
  137. 5Paragraph 5
  138. 6Paragraph 6
  139. 7Paragraph 7
  140. 8Notifications under the 1949 Act
  141. 9Paragraph 9
  142. 10Paragraph 10
  143. 11Paragraph 11
  144. 12Registers of notifications: transitory provisions
  145. 13Paragraph 13
  146. Schedule 6: Protection of wildlife
  147. 1Paragraph 1
  148. 2Protection of birds: offences
  149. 3Paragraph 3
  150. 4Paragraph 4
  151. 5Paragraph 5
  152. 6Paragraph 6
  153. 7Paragraph 7
  154. 8Protection of animals: offences
  155. 9Paragraph 9
  156. 10Paragraph 10
  157. 11Paragraph 11
  158. 12Non-native species
  159. 13Paragraph 13
  160. 14Miscellaneous
  161. 15Paragraph 15
  162. 16Paragraph 16
  163. 17Paragraph 17
  164. 18Paragraph 18
  165. 19Paragraph 19
  166. 20Paragraph 20
  167. 21Paragraph 21
  168. 22Paragraph 22
  169. 23Paragraph 23
  170. 24Paragraph 24
  171. 25Paragraph 25
  172. 26Paragraph 26
  173. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments and repeals
  174. 1Paragraph 1
  175. 2Paragraph 2
  176. 3Paragraph 3
  177. 4Paragraph 4
  178. 5Paragraph 5
  179. 6Paragraph 6
  180. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  181. 8Paragraph 8
  182. 9Paragraph 9
  183. 10Paragraph 10
  184. 11Paragraph 11
  185. 12Paragraph 12
  186. 13Paragraph 13