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Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

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  • Land and Landscapes

    Information on land quality and soil as well as details on the geology of Northern Ireland's distinctive and precious landscapes.

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    Protected areas

    Our protected areas represent the very best of our natural landscapes, biodiversity and geodiversity, forming the cornerstone of nature conservation by supporting plants, animals and habitats that are rare or unique. The on-going protection and management of this coherent network of sites will ensure that these important natural and cultural assets can be enjoyed by this and future generations.

    • Special Areas of Conservation
    • Special Protection Areas
    • Areas of Special Scientific Interest

    Soil

    Soils are fundamental to our understanding of environmental interactions between air, land and water. They are key to supporting habitats and ecosystems, and for protecting archaeological resources.

    • Sustainable Agricultural Land Management Strategy
    • EU Soils Thematic Strategy
    • Soil policy development and emerging work areas

    Development management

    • Sustainable Agriculture Programme: Co Design with Stakeholders
    • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
    • Advice and Information for planning approval on land which is of nature conservation value

    Strategic Environmental Assessment

    Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a system of including environmental considerations into certain plans and programmes at an early stage of the programme or plan development.

    • Appointment of a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson to the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC)

    Digital datasets

    • River Network Contribution by Local Management Area
    • Groundwater Karst Data
    • WMU Spatial Datasets

    Landscapes

    Northern Ireland has a wide variety of scenic countryside, the best of which is protected under legislation. The Department also makes use of a Landscape Charter and works closely with NGOs.

    • Active Responses to Phytophthora ramorum
    • Forestry Planning Interactive Maps
    • Scoping a new forestry plan for East Fermanagh/East Tyrone forests and woodland

    Land quality

    • Contaminated land
    • Impact on land
    • Planning and land contamination

    Area-based Schemes - Current Scheme Details

    Here you will find useful information, Guides, Q&As and Forms for Area-based Schemes that are currently available from DAERA. They are listed below;


    Related to Land and Landscapes

    Most recent publications

    • Pine Marten Surveys specifications

      Published 13 September 2024
    • What people told us - Scoping a new forestry plan for forests and woodland in West Fermanagh

      Published 26 June 2024
    See all publications in this topic

    Most recent consultations

    • Environmental Impact Assessment forestry consultation for Land adjacent to Springwell Forest. ERA24/25-16

      Published 10 January 2025 Consultation closed
    • Environmental Impact Assessment forestry consultation for Land adjacent to Stoneyford Reservoir Co Antrim. ERA24/25-05

      Published 18 December 2024 Consultation closed
    See all consultations in this topic

    Most recent news items

    • Soil Nutrient Health Scheme Training for County Down farmers

      Published 4 January 2024
    • New Countryside Survey underway

      Published 5 December 2023
    See all news in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs including Freedom of Information (FOI), Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) and the use of our Publication Scheme.

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