Local Wildlife Sites

Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) are areas selected for their nature conservation value and include threatened habitats and species within a national, regional and local context, making them some of our most valuable urban and rural wildlife areas.

LWS provide refuges for most of the UK's fauna and flora and often encompass some of the most distinctive features in our landscape. However many sites are in decline along with their wildlife.

Who designates them?

The decision to adopt a Local Wildlife Site is taken by a panel of agencies including representatives from Natural England, Shropshire Council, Telford and Wrekin Council, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, National Trust and Shropshire Wildlife Trust staff. 

Local Wildlife Sites are often fragmented habitat, unconnected to similar areas.  This causes problems with wildlife mobility for feeding and reproduction. Climate change is an additional threat, meaning that wildlife cannot disperse easily as temperatures rise. Shropshire Wildlife Trust is working to create Nature Recovery Networks, linking sites with each other and with SSSIs in large landscape areas. In this way, wildlife should stand a better chance of survival.

This work relies on external funding as and when it becomes available. We do however continue to work with Local Wildlife Site owners, carrying out surveys and giving management advice wherever possible.