A. Ross et A. Stockdale, MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNATIONS - A CASE-STUDY OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE YTHAN ESTUARY, Environment and planning. C, Government & policy, 14(1), 1996, pp. 89-100
High-value landscapes, habitats, and species are protected increasingl
y through a range of local, national, and international designations a
nd policies. Often one site may be protected by a multitude of designa
tions. However, international designations are commonly implemented th
rough national mechanisms. Using the Forvie Sands and Ythan Estuary ar
ea of northeast Scotland as an example, we review the effectiveness of
multiple environmental designations. After an examination of existing
and proposed designations for the study area, overlaps and loopholes
in environmental protection are identified. We conclude that protectio
n from more than one designation may either afford the site additional
protection or emphasise the importance of the site at different level
s; local, national, and international. The principal loophole relates
to unregulated activities undertaken beyond the designated site which
may have an adverse effect on the protected area. Possible solutions i
nclude extending the designation to include the sources of the threat
or to combine an appropriate designation strategy with effective regul
ation of the threat itself. In developing designation strategies, envi
ronmental protection agencies should consider these options.