Many places in Northern Ireland support rare or threatened plants, animals and habitats.
They can be legally designated to help ensure better management and protection of those species.
There are hundreds of such designated sites across Northern Ireland, covering around 10% of the land and 38% of coastal waters – classed as Areas of Special Scientific Interest; Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) which have international biodiversity importance; Ramsar Sites which cover wetlands of international importance; Special Protection Areas (SPAs); and Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs).
That should lead to work to protect the species and habitats they have been designated for.
But the Office for Environmental Protection found not enough sites are being designated and the condition of those that have been is worsening.
The number of sites that were in favourable condition dropped from 61.7% in 2008, to 51.5% in 2024.
It is now investigating how those sites are being managed, external by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, after it found implementation of the designation fell short.
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