Icon Definitions:

Text match Text match
Confers power Confers power
Blanket amendment Blanket amendment

Welcome to the Revised Statutes of the UK on SLD

This item of legislation is displayed as if you had made a search for a version current at today’s date and applicable to the widest possible geographical extent (that is, anywhere in the UK). If you wish to specify any other search criteria, please use the Advanced search facility. The page you are currently viewing is usually referred to on SLD as the ‘Results within Legislation’ page
(Entries appearing indented and in square brackets indicates provisions for which no version matched the presumed search criteria)

Update Status Warning: There are effects on this legislation that have not yet been applied to the Statute Law Database for the following year(s): 2009. Please see the Tables of legislative effects for details. See also important information in Update status of legislation.

Help - Opening and Viewing Legislation
        Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69)
        Introductory Text
        Main body
        Part I Wildlife
        Protection of birds
        1. Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs. (E+W)
        1. Protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs. (S)
        2. Exceptions to s. 1. (S)
        2. Exceptions to s. 1. (E+W)
        3. Areas of special protection. (S)
        3. Areas of special protection. (E+W)
        4. Exceptions to ss. 1 and 3. (E+W)
        4. Exceptions to ss. 1 and 3. (S)
        5. Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds. (S)
        5. Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild birds. (E+W)
        6. Sale etc. of live or dead wild birds, eggs etc. (E+W)
        6. Sale etc. of live or dead wild birds, eggs etc. (S)
        7. Registration etc. of certain captive birds. (E+W)
        7. Registration etc. of certain captive birds. (S)
        8. Protection of captive birds.
        Protection of other animals
        9. Protection of certain wild animals. (S)
        9. Protection of certain wild animals. (E+W)
        10. Exceptions to s. 9. (S)
        10. Exceptions to s. 9. (E+W)
        11. Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals. (S)
        11. Prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals. (E+W)
        12. Protection of certain mammals.
        Protection of plants
        13. Protection of wild plants. (S)
        13. Protection of wild plants. (E+W)
        Miscellaneous
        14. Introduction of new species etc. (E+W)
        14. Introduction of new species etc. (S)
        14ZA Sale etc. of invasive non-native species
        14ZB Codes of practice in connection with invasive non-native species
        14A Prohibition on sale etc. of certain animals or plants
        14B Guidance: non-native species
        15. Endangered species (import and export).
        15A Possession of pesticides
        Supplemental
        16. Power to grant licences. (E+W)
        16. Power to grant licences. (S)
        17. False statements made for obtaining registration or licence etc.
        18. Attempts to commit offences etc.
        18A Wildlife inspectors
        18B Group 1 offences and licences: power to enter premises
        18C Group 1 offences and licences: examining specimens and taking samples
        18D Group 2 offences and licences etc.: power to enter premises
        18E Group 2 offences: examining specimens and taking samples
        18F Restrictions on taking of samples from live specimens
        19. Enforcement. (E+W)
        19. Enforcement. (S)
        19XA Constables' powers in connection with samples
        19XB Offences in connection with enforcement powers
        19ZA. Enforcement: wildlife inspectors.
        19ZB. Power to take samples.
        19ZC Wildlife inspectors: Scotland
        19ZD Power to take samples: Scotland
        19A. Evidence in Scotland as to taking or destruction of eggs.
        20. Summary prosecutions. (E+W)
        20. Summary prosecutions. (S)
        21. Penalties, forfeitures etc. (E+W)
        21. Penalties, forfeitures etc. (S)
        22. Power to vary Schedules. (S)
        22. Power to vary Schedules. (E+W)
        23. Advisory bodies and their functions.
        24. Functions of Nature Conservancy Council. (S)
        24. Functions of Nature Conservancy Council. (E+W)
        25. Functions of local authorities.
        26. Regulations, orders, notices etc. (S)
        26. Regulations, orders, notices etc. (E+W)
        26A Enforcement of wildlife legislation
        27ZA. Application of Part 1 to England and Wales
        27. Interpretation of Part I. (E+W)
        27. Interpretation of Part I. (S)
        Part II Nature Conservation, Countryside and National Parks
        Sites of special scientific interest and limestone pavements
        27A. Construction of references to Nature Conservancy Council.
        27AA Application of sections 28 to 34 in Wales
        28. Sites of special scientific interest. (E+W)
        28. Sites of special scientific interest. (S)
        28A. Variation of notification under section 28.
        28B. Notification of additional land.
        28C. Enlargement of SSSI.
        28D. Denotification.
        28E. Duties in relation to sites of special scientific interest.
        28F. Appeals in connection with consents.
        28G. Statutory undertakers, etc.: general duty.
        28H. Statutory undertakers, etc.: duty in relation to carrying out operations.
        28I. Statutory undertakers, etc.: duty in relation to authorising operations.
        28J. Management schemes.
        28K. Management notices.
        28L. Appeals against management notices.
        28M. Payments.
        28N. Compulsory purchase.
        28P. Offences.
        28Q. Change of owner or occupier.
        28R. Byelaws.
        28S Notices and signs relating to SSSIs
        29. Special protection for certain areas of special scientific interest.
        30. Compensation where order is made under s. 29.
        31. Restoration where order under s. 29 is contravened. (E+W)
        31. Restoration where order under s. 29 is contravened. (S)
        32. Duties of agriculture Ministers with respect to areas of special scientific interest. (E+W)
        32. Duties of agriculture Ministers with respect to areas of special scientific interest. (S)
        33. Ministerial guidance as respects areas of special scientific interest.
        34. Limestone pavement orders. (E+W)
        34. Limestone pavement orders. (S)
        Nature reserves, marine nature reserves and Ramsar sites
        34A Meaning of "appropriate conservation body"
        35. National nature reserves.
        36. Marine nature reserves. (S)
        36. Marine nature reserves. (E+W)
        37. Byelaws for protection of marine nature reserves.
        37A. Ramsar sites.
        38. Grants and loans by Nature Conservancy Council.
        Countryside
        39. Management agreements with owners and occupiers of land.
        40. Experimental schemes.
        41. Duties of agriculture Ministers with respect to the countryside.
        National Parks
        41A Application of sections 42 to 45 in Wales
        42. Notification of agricultural operations on moor and heath in National Parks.
        43. Maps of National Parks showing certain areas of moor or heath.
        44. Grants and loans for purposes of National Parks.
        45. Power to vary order designating National Park.
        46. Membership of National Park authorities.
        Miscellaneous and supplemental
        47. Provisions with respect to the Countryside Commission.
        48. . . .
        49. Extension of power to appoint wardens.
        50. Payments under certain agreements offered by authorities. (E+W)
        50. Payments under certain agreements offered by authorities. (S)
        51. Powers of entry. (E+W)
        51. Powers of entry. (S)
        51A Summary prosecutions
        52. Interpretation of Part II.
        Part III Public Rights of Way
        Ascertainment of public rights of way
        53. Duty to keep definitive map and statement under continuous review.
        53A. Power to include modifications in other orders.
        53B. Register of applications under section 53.
        54. Duty to reclassify roads used as public paths.
        [54A. BOATs not to be added to definitive maps.]
        55. No further surveys or reviews under the 1949 Act.
        56. Effect of definitive map and statement.
        57. Supplementary provisions as to definitive maps and statements.
        57A. Consolidation of definitive maps and statements.
        58. Application of ss. 53 to 57 to inner London.
        Miscellaneous and supplemental
        59. Prohibition on keeping bulls on land crossed by public rights of way.
        60. . . .
        61. Ploughing of public rights of way.
        62. Appointment of wardens for public rights of way.
        63. Orders creating, extinguishing or diverting footpaths and bridleways.
        64. Publication of dedication of footpaths and bridleways.
        65. Signposting of byways open to all traffic.
        66. Interpretation of Part III.
        Part IV Miscellaneous and General
        66A Application of Part 1 to Crown
        67. Application of Parts 2 and 3 to Crown land.
        68. Application to the Isles of Scilly.
        69. Offences by bodies corporate etc.
        70. Financial provisions.
        70A. Service of notices.
        70B Effect of failure to serve certain notices
        71. General interpretation.
        72. Minor amendments.
        73. Repeals and savings.
        74. Short title commencement and extent.
        Schedules
        SCHEDULE ZA1 Birds which re-use their nests
        SHEDULE A1 Protected nests and nest sites: birds
        SCHEDULE 1 Birds which are Protected by Special Penalties
        Part I At All Times
        Part II During the Close Season
        SCHEDULE 1A Birds which are protected from harassment
        SCHEDULE 2 Birds Which May Be Killed or Taken
        Part I Outside the Close Season
        Part II By Authorised Persons at all Times
        SCHEDULE 3 Birds which may be Sold
        Part I Alive at all Times if Ringed and Bred in Captivity
        Part II Dead at all Times
        Part III Dead from 1st September to 28th February
        SCHEDULE 4 Birds Which Must Be Registered and Ringed if Kept in Captivity
        SCHEDULE 5 Animals which are Protected (E+W)
        SCHEDULE 5 Animals which are Protected (S)
        SCHEDULE 6 Animals which may not be Killed or Taken by Certain Methods
        SCHEDULE 7 PROTECTION OF CERTAIN MAMMALS
        SCHEDULE 8 Plants which are Protected
        SCHEDULE 9 Animals and plants to which section 14 applies
        Part I Animals which are established in the wild
        Part II Plants
        SCHEDULE 10 Amendment of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976
        Part I The Amendments
        Part II Schedule inserted as Schedule 4
        {no text}
        {no text}
        {no text}
        {no text}
        Part III {Part III}
        SCHEDULE 5 {SCHEDULE 5}
        SCHEDULE 10A Delegation of appellate functions
        SCHEDULE 11 Procedure in connection with Certain Orders under Part II
        SCHEDULE 12 Procedure in Connection With Orders Under Section 36
        SCHEDULE 13 Provisions With Respect to the Countryside Commission
        SCHEDULE 14 Applications for Certain Orders Under Part III
        SCHEDULE 15 Procedure in Connection with Certain Orders Under Part III
        SCHEDULE 16 Orders Creating, Extinguishing or Diverting Footpaths or Bridleways
        SCHEDULE 17 Enactments repealed
        Part I Enactments repealed one month after the passing of this Act
        Part II Enactments repealed on a day to be appointed

  © Crown Copyright Back to top