I was surprised to receive a nicely printed sngle-sheet leaflet headed "The
UK SPA network: Its scope and content" from the Joint Nature Conveservation
Committee, an organisation sponsored by the Govenment.
Thinking that this was indeed a new origanisation for Spas in the watery
sense, I read further and found that in this case "SPA" meant "Special
Protection Area" and referred to speciafied areas where wild birds needed
special protection.
So far 243 SPAs extending to 1.5 millinon hectares have been designated. The
leaflet lists a three-volume publication giving all the details, both of the
SPAs and of the birds to be found in them.
It seems that the UK leads Europe in designation of SPAs and I'm sure that
all subscribers to Ells and Spas will applaud this.
Where bird have gone before perhaps spas can also go in the future. Let's
hope that there weill also be SPAs for wells and spas.
David Lister.
|