Surveillance and Monitoring

Surveillance is the systematic sampling of habitats and species designed to produce a series of measurements in time.

The reason we carry this out is to identify, and draw attention to weaknesses in the state of the environment which will need to be addressed if strategic goals are to be achieved. Once changes have been detected, these can be compared to known causes or pressures.

Monitoring is surveillance when there is a need is to know whether a particular state or standard is being achieved though appropriate management of the causes or pressures affecting habitats and species, particularly for those species that are not currently at a favourable conservation status.

We have published A Strategy for Surveillance and Monitoring of European Protected Habitats and Species in Northern Ireland (.PDF5.54Mb)  This report is aimed at implementing the obligations in Regulations 3 and 6 of The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 for the protection of habitats and species of Community interest in Northern Ireland.