The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

Listen

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

13/12/2004

A series of appointments and re-appointments to the Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (ACSSSI) have been announced today.

Professor Donald Davidson has been re-appointed as committee Chair while Dr Mark Young and Professor Robert Furness have been re-appointed as committee members.

Joining the ACSSSI for the first time are Dr Trevor Crisp, Professor Robert Duck, Dr Alastair Sommerville and Dr Colin Legg.

The ACSSSI provides independent scientific advice to Scottish Natural Heritage on the notification of special sites.

It meets on an ad hoc basis discussing with SNH and objectors, and reviewing evidence on the potential designation of areas.

Each appointment is for three years from December 1 this year. Each committee member receives a daily attendance fee of £143 - £185 for the Chair.

The appointments were made on merit and in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments. None of the members declared political activity.

Details of appointees:-

is a Professor in the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Stirling. His main specialism is in soil science and in particular the impacts of people and soil organisms. He has been a member of the ACSSSI since
2001, latterly as Chair. He is also a College Member of NERC for which he receives remuneration of £1000 p.a.

Dr Mark Young is a senior lecturer in Ecology at the University of Aberdeen. His primary interests are entomology and freshwater biology. He is a former North Board Member of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and has been a member of the ACSSSI since 1998. He serves on the Action Plan and Science Group of the Scottish Biodiversity Forum, the Shetland Oil Terminal Advisory Group and the North East Local Biodiversity Action Plan. He receives no remuneration for these three posts.

Professor Robert Furness is a Professor of Zoology at the University of Glasgow. His primary interest is in ornithology. He has been a member of the ACSSSI since 1998. In addition he is Chair of the International Advisory Panel of Experts in Marine Ecology, for which he receives €1000 p.a., Chair of the Independent Commission for the Exploration of the Seas Group on Sea Bird Ecology and Treasurer of the Argyll Bird Club - he receives no remuneration for the latter two positions.

Dr Trevor Crisp is a retired biological researcher with a primary interest in freshwater ecology. He has been a co-opted member of the ACSSSI since 2000. He is a member of Regional Fisheries, Ecology and Recreation Advisory Committee, North East Region, for which he receives no remuneration and is also a member of the Fisheries Committee for which he receives £130 per day.

Professor Robert Duck is Professor of Environmental Geoscience at the University of Dundee where he specialises in geology and geomorphology. He is currently Chair of the Tay Estuary Forum for which he receives no remuneration.

Dr Alastair Sommerville is an ecologist for Biodiversity Solutions environmental consultancy specialising in ecology and entomology. He is the former Chair of the Eyemouth Marine Centre Trust, currently a Director and the Chair of the Lothian Wildlife Information Centre and is a member of the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Conservation Strategy Committee. He receives no remuneration for the latter two posts.

Dr Colin Legg is a Senior Lecturer in Plant Ecology at Edinburgh University with a primary interest in plant ecology and botany. He is a former Council member of the Botanical Society of Scotland and a member of Botanical Society of the British Isles and the British Ecological Society.

The Executive's proposals for a modernised system for nature conservation were set out in the Nature of Scotland.

The proposals included reforms to the SSSI system that needed primary legislation to give effect to them and these were included in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. (That Act also repealed and replaced the original statutory provision for the ACSSSI contained in the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991.)

When Scottish Ministers reappointed the current ACSSSI membership for the period April 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004, it was on the basis that implementation of the reformed system for nature conservation would present a good opportunity to advertise for the next round of appointments to the ACSSSI, thus raising the profile of both the reforms and the ACSSSI.

One of the primary objectives of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 was to modernise and upgrade current arrangements for safeguarding Scotland's nationally important nature sites through a network of SSSI.

In light of the higher profile of the ACSSSI following implementation of the Act, and of the different types of SSSI casework likely to come before it, membership of the ACSSSI has been increased from five to seven.

SNH notifies owners or occupiers of land where it is of the opinion that any area of that land is of special interest by reason of its flora, fauna, or geological or geomorphological features.

Where owners or occupiers make scientific objections against SSSI notifications, and these are not withdrawn, SNH is required by section 21 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to refer the case to the ACSSSI for advice.