AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Great Crested Newt - Risk Zones (Shropshire)

This dataset identifies areas where the distribution of great crested newts (GCN) has been categorised into zones relating to GCN occurrence and the level of impact development is likely to have on this species. Red zones contain key populations of GCN, which are important on a regional, national or international scale and include designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest for GCN. Amber zones contain main population centres for GCN and comprise important connecting habitat that aids natural dispersal. Green zones contain sparsely distributed GCN and are less likely to contain important pathways of connecting habitat for this species. White zones contain no GCN. However, as most of England forms the natural range of GCN, white zones are rare and will only be used when it is certain that there are no GCN. Attribution statement: © Natural England, 2022
Based upon LCM2015 © NERC (CEH) 2011. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright 2007.
Soils Data © Cranfield University (NSRI) and for the Controller of HMSO 2019. Based upon LCM2007 © NERC (CEH) 2011. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Copyright 2007. © third party licensors. Contains, or is derived from, information supplied by the Ordnance Survey and Rural Payments Agency. © Crown copyright and database rights 2019.
© Shropshire Ecological Data Network (OS Map data is supplied and used under licence from Shropshire Council © Crown Copyright 2016 OS 100049049)
Contains data supplied by HS2 Limited © Crown Copyright. Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey Licence Number 100049190, 2019.
© Freshwater Habitats Trust, PondNet monitoring scheme 2018
Contains data supplied by Shropshire Council © Shropshire Council 2020, Ordnance Survey 100049049
Contains, or is derived from, information supplied by Ordnance Survey. © Crown copyright and database rights 2020 Ordnance Survey 100022021.
Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right, 2020.

Tags:  landscape, Habitats, Habitats and biotopes, Species distribution, biota, ecology, environment
Organization: Natural England
Biosphere Reserves

This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of biosphere reserves in Wales. The Biosphere Reserve is an international designation made by UNESCO based on nominations made by more than 110 countries. These sites are chosen to conserve examples of areas which are characteristic of the world's natural regions. They must also be areas where people are important components of everyday life. The biosphere is rapidly changing under the influence of human activity, so meeting their needs whilst conserving the area's natural processes and wildlife is of the utmost importance.

Tags: Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR), Coastal Margins (SMNR), Cultural Services (SMNR), Ecosystem (SMNR), Enclosed Farmlands (SMNR), Freshwater and Wetlands (SMNR), Habitat characterisation, Habitat extent, Management Areas (SMNR), Marine (SMNR), Mountains, Moorland and Heaths (SMNR), Natural Resources (incl. Features and Processes) (, Provisioning Services (SMNR), Regulating Services (SMNR), Sea and Coast (SMNR), Semi-Natural Grasslands (SMNR), Soil and Land (SMNR), Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR), UNESCO - man and the biosphere programme (MAB), Water Quality (SMNR), Woodlands (SMNR), biosphere, geographical information systems (GIS), protected areas, protected sites
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Biogenetic Reserves

This is a spatial dataset containing the boundaries of Biogenetic Reserves in Wales.  Biogenetic Reserves aim to conserve European flora, fauna and natural areas especially heathlands and dry grasslands that although common in one country, may be scarce in another. In this way a store of genetic material - the genes of plants and animals - is kept for the future, hence the term Biogenetic. To qualify for this designation, sites in the UK must first be Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or otherwise designated. The Bern Convention - signed by the UK government in 1982, led to the establishment of this European network of Biogenetic Reserves.

Tags: Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR), Biogenetic Reserves, Cultural Services (SMNR), Ecosystem (SMNR), Habitat characterisation, Habitat extent, Management Areas (SMNR), Mountains, Moorland and Heaths (SMNR), Natural Resources (incl. Features and Processes) (, Provisioning Services (SMNR), Regulating Services (SMNR), Rhinog (Rhinogydd), Semi-Natural Grasslands (SMNR), Soil and Land (SMNR), Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR), Woodlands (SMNR), fauna, flora preservation, genetic conservation, geographical information systems (GIS), grassland, heathland (heaths)
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Phase 2 Lowland Peatland Survey of Wales

This dataset is part of the Phase 2 Habitats surveys conducted across Wales. It consists of a detailed survey of plant communities in lowland peatland vegetation.  The survey work was split into two time periods, with the first Phase 2 lowland peatland surveys being conducted between 1977 and 1982. There was then a break between this and the second tranche of surveys which have occurred from 2004 onwards. These more modern surveys were conducted on sites already covered on the 1997-1982 surveys and on newer identified sites. The surveys were conducted at Phase 2 (plant community) level of herbaceous mire habitats predominantly within the lowland environment of Wales. Key project outputs include site-based assessments of community type, distribution and ecology and evaluative accounts of vegetation and its condition. Strategic outputs include Area of Search/regional/all Wales synthesis and analysis of data to inform site selection, conservation and restoration. This part of the Phase 2 survey just includes species datasets collected by Countryside Council for Wales and Natural Resources Wales in-house expert Phase 2 survey team.  Peer-based quality assurance is carried out within the team and by CCW's Peatland Specialist. Regular meetings are held to ensure consistent community and species determination and survey protocol application.    The primary objective of the survey is to characterise and evaluate the vegetation cover of lowland peatlands in Wales to ensure the identification, protection and management of important peatland sites.  All Wales coverage although sites vary in size and complexity. The survey programme is almost wholly confined to lowland mires, i.e. those below the upper functional limit of agricultural enclosure. A few mires above this limit may be considered where they display essentially lowland characteristics or where survey would provide additional critical information for rare communities. The survey encompasses all lowland Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) supporting at least one independently qualifying peatland feature. The only exceptions to this are (i) the largest of the raised mires (namely Cors Fochno, Cors Caron, and Fenns, Whixall, Bettisfield, Wem and Cadney Mosses), and (ii) any sites for which recent reliable information collected in a manner broadly comparable to that of the current survey is already available. Non-statutory sites are included if they have peatland features considered likely to be of individually qualifying status or if they have a notable mire element. A 0.5 ha threshold for individual or groups of communities has been used to help prioritise sites for survey.

Tags: Fenland, Peatland Survey, fens, habitat classification, habitat surveys (habitat monitoring), lowland peatland survey, lowland peatlands, lowlands, management agreements, mires, peatland ecology, peatlands, raised bogs, rare plant monitoring, rare plants (scarce plants), rare species, site assessment, site condition monitoring, swamps, vegetation classification, vegetation surveys (vegetation monitoring)(see als
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs)

This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of all Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in Wales. AONBs are established under the Countryside Act of 1949, but unlike National Parks, AONBs are not created specifically for opportunities for recreation. However, recreation within AONBs is acceptable if it is consistent with the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty and the needs of agriculture, forestry and other uses.

Tags: Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Coastal Margins (SMNR), Cultural Services (SMNR), Ecosystem (SMNR), Ecosystem Services (SMNR), Freshwater and Wetlands (SMNR), Geodiversity (SMNR), Management Areas (SMNR), Marine (SMNR), Mountains, Moorland and Heaths (SMNR), Natural Resources (Incl. Features and Processes) (, Physical Geography (Physiography) (SMNR), Regulating Services (SMNR), Semi-natural Grasslands (SMNR), Soil and Land (SMNR), Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR), geographical information systems (GIS)
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Phase 2 Lowland Grassland Survey of Wales

This project comprised of a detailed survey of plant communities in semi-natural lowland grassland vegetation across Wales. The purpose of this data capture was to characterise the semi-natural lowland grassland vegetation of Wales and to provide a systematic conservation assessment of the sites surveyed. The survey locations and sites vary in size and complexity from small uniform hay-meadows of less than 1 ha, to extensive wet-dry pasture systems covering over 100 ha. The datasets which were produced from this project have been extensively validated and verified. However, the main limitation of these datasets is their age. Habitat composition may change over time due to successional trends, agricultural treatments or even planned developments, which means that there is no guarantee that the information within these datasets is still representative on the ground today. However they do provide an important long-term catalogue of data which can be used to monitor changes to the grassland environments overtime.  The dataset contributes to JNCC's UK Lowland Grassland Database, held by the Lowland Grassland Lead Co-ordination Network at EN in Peterborough.   The original Phase 2 Grassland Survey datasets (1987 – 2004) have now been put into a folder called Archive and the whole dataset has been updated with new and re-mapped sites. These now have the suffix 2020, and cover a time period 1989 – 2018.

Tags: Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR), Ecosystem (SMNR), Management Areas (SMNR), National Vegetation Classification (NVC), Natural Resources (incl. Features and Processes) (, Phase 2 Survey (Phase II), Semi-Natural Grasslands (SMNR), Soil and Land (SMNR), Soils (SMNR), Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR), geographical information systems (GIS), habitat classification, habitat surveys (habitat monitoring), lowland grassland, lowlands, plant communities, species inventory, vegetation (see also specific types eg.coastal or , vegetation classification, vegetation surveys (vegetation monitoring)(see als
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Marine Phase 1 Intertidal Habitat Survey

This is a dataset compiled of spatially-referenced survey data obtained from different intertidal communities (biotopes) in Wales. Maps include information on biotope location, species composition, access and photographs points.  Additional information is recorded as target notes.  Further site information, including site descriptions,  geomorphology, uses, impacts, target notes and habitat information is held in an accompanying database  Intertidal mapped data provides an integrated information resource for Local Authority structure and development plans on the coast and for the consideration of planning applications. The maps give important regional information about habitat and biotope distribution. They are used in the production and evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessments, assessment of sites as possible Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), as a basis for the development of sensitivity mapping, and as a baseline for developing monitoring of intertidal features in marine Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). Sites are mapped once and therefore are a 'snapshot' in time.  All data has been subject to a validation process. The data available to the public under an Open Government Licence has some information redacted.  An un-redacted version can be requested and may be provided under NRW licence.

Tags: Animals, Plants and Other Organisms (SMNR), Climate (SMNR), Coastal Margins (SMNR), Ecosystem (SMNR), Ecosystem Services (SMNR), Management Areas (SMNR), Marine (SMNR), Natural Resources (Incl. Features and Processes) (, Phase 1 Survey (Phase I), Regulating Services (SMNR), Sea and Coast (SMNR), Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR), biotopes, habitat mapping, marine (maritime), marine surveys (intertidal & subtidal surveys) (li, seashore (intertidal) (littoral) (see also beaches, target notes
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites (RIGS)

Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites (RIGS) are non-statutory sites selected to protect the most important places for geology, geomorphology and soils, complementing the network of legally protected Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). RIGS are selected for their scientific, educational, historical and aesthetic features. As stated in Planning Policy Wales, Planning Authorities should protect the features and qualities for which RIGS have been designated. The impact of proposed developments will depend on the nature of the RIGS feature, so early consultation with the local RIGS group or NRW is strongly recommended.

Tags: Geodiversity (SMNR), Geological (SMNR), Geomorphology (SMNR), Landscape (SMNR), Management Areas (SMNR), Natural Resources (incl. Features and Processes) (, Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS), Seascape (SMNR), Soil and Land (SMNR), Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR), geological conservation, geological sites, geology, geomorphology
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Assessing Welsh Aquaculture Activities

The two AWAA Interactions Spreadsheets in Excel present the potential sensitivity of biotopes (components of habitats) and species (designated within MPAs, SSSIs or included within the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 Section 7 list) to the pressures associated with different aquaculture activities. The Biotopes Interactions Spreadsheet contains the information presented in the AWAA Mapping Tool. The AWAA Mapping Tool displays the sensitivity of marine biotopes in Welsh Waters to the potential pressures associated with 11 different aquaculture activities. The Tool allows users such as developers, regulators and advisors to view the potential sensitivity of biotopes around Wales or within the vicinity of a proposed aquaculture development to the potential pressures associated with that activity. Biotope locations have been sourced from the Marine Recorder (2020) and Intertidal Phase 1 Habitat Survey (2022). The sensitivities of the biotopes are sourced from the Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) as part of the Marine Evidence base Sensitivity Assessment (MarESA) (Tyler-Walers et al., 2022). Full details of data sources and acknowledgements can be found on the ‘Attributions’ button. The data viewer was created by ABPmer Ltd for Natural Resources Wales. The AWAA Project is supported by the EU through Welsh Ministers and is fully funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund  Story Map can be found here: https://smnr-nrw.hub.arcgis.com/apps/73894fae28f64ed0b9b7344dcc667493/explore

Tags: Aquaculture Activities, Assessing Welsh Aquaculture Activities Project, Habitat extent, aquaculture, biotopes, marine protected areas(marine consultation areas)(
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Priority Ecological Networks

Priority Ecological Networks (PENs) in the terrestrial environment are versions of the all-Wales habitat networks that show areas of connectivity between Protected Sites, and as such provide a framework to inform the location of action to build functional resilient ecological networks based on our most important places for biodiversity.  Typical actions would be habitat improvement, restoration, or creation, located within the boundaries of a PEN, or situated at its margins to consolidate, extend, or link different PENs. These PENs supersede the GIS layers that were previously known as ‘Level 2 networks’, and are available for: Native woodland; Semi-natural grassland; Heathland; Bog; Fen and Sand Dune. All these priority networks are also represented as a ‘PEN Hotspot’ map, which is a simple count of all available networks within a given 1km square for an ‘at a glance’ view across Wales.  In addition, the ‘native woodland’ and ‘semi-natural grassland’ PENs have both received updates in the form of additional networks to  accommodate our latest protected sites series and survey information and expand beyond what was originally available. Heathland, Bog and Fen have been merged from their originally separate upland and lowland versions into singular datasets and a previously unreleased ‘sand dune’ network is also now included.  A Freshwater PEN is planned.  At sea, an ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas (MPAs) has been established which, when measures are in place to bring about good condition, will form the marine Resilient Ecological Network. Connectivity within the MPA Network is inherently good, however some of the features (species and habitats for which the sites are designated) are known to be in unfavourable condition. The marine Priority Ecological Network (MPEN) map shows the full extent of the MPA network, highlighting the sites where one or more features are known to be in unfavourable condition. In the highlighted areas, action is needed to deliver measures that restore features, reduce pressures to enable their recovery, or gather evidence needed to support effective management.

Tags: bogs, fens, habitat networks, habitats (see also specific types of habitats), heathland (heaths), heathland management
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Modelled Distributions and Abundance of Cetaceans and Seabirds of Wales and Surrounding Waters

The data resource is a package of GIS shapefiles of modelled maximum and monthly (mean) densities of cetacean and seabird species presented in Natural Resources Wales’ Evidence Report No 646: Modelled Distributions and Abundance of Cetaceans and Seabirds in Wales and Surrounding Waters. Refer to report for further information.

Tags: Dolphins, Whales, abundance, birds (see also specific species,groups eg.seabird, cetacean survey, cetaceans (see also specific species), delphinidae, distributions, marine birds (see seabirds,shorebirds), mysticeti, phocoena phocoena, porpoises (see also specific species), seabirds (see also specific species)(see also shor
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Tranquillity & Place Wales Sound Environment Part 1 2023

The nationally consistent terrestrial Tranquillity & Place resource identifies the strategic and local resource in remote, rural, peri-urban and urban areas for use as an evidence base to inform policy intent, practice and provision for well-being benefits. There are 6 themes.  Tranquillity is associated with the degree to which places and ecosystems deliver a state of quiet, calm, peace and well-being. This can be described as a relative abundance, perception or experience of nature, natural landscapes and features and/or a relative freedom from unwanted visual disturbance, signs of human influence and artificial noise.  Tranquillity & Place Sound Environment Part I delivers Theme 4, mapping sound environments where natural sounds are more prominent than noise and are appropriate to context. It includes sounds other than road and railway noise.

Tags: LANDSCAPE, Sound, Tranquillity, tranquil areas
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Mapping Environmental Considerations for Marine Spatial Planning in Wales

Environmental Considerations spatial datasets for marine planning. These datasets are derived from multiple datasets indicating the presence of protected features in Welsh waters. The data is presented on 1 km2 hexagonal grids.  

Operational phase was considered for all sectors for all feature groups, and includes maintenance activities.  The construction phase was only considered for sectors where potential construction impacts are substantially different from those during operation (tidal stream, wave, tidal range, Floating offshore wind and cabling).  However, for the Bird feature group, construction phase was only considered for tidal range and cabling. The scoring methodology included three main stages: 

1.	The occurrence score reflects either the presence or absence, or standardized abundance (where abundance data was available) of features (i.e., species, habitats, or protected sites) and were scored from 1 to 3 on a continuous scale where 1 was the lowest density and 3 the highest for each feature. 

2.	The conservation importance score is an estimate of the level of protection each feature has based on the legislation that confers a feature protection. It is important to note that all the features included in this work are conferred protection under various legislation and all are important considerations in the planning of developments. This step was scored from 1 to 5.  

3.	An impact score to reflect potential impacts on features based on the likely pressures generated by each sector was applied for the operational pressures of each of the focus sectors and, separate to this, construction pressures for some sectors. Where there was considered to be a lack of evidence then a higher score was applied. The current approach did not assess specific technologies individually but considered the potential pressures that could originate from a sector and their potential to negatively affect each of the features. This step was scored from 1 to 3. 

A total score was calculated for each feature in each cell, and these were summed for each 1 km2 hexagonal grid cell, providing a relative ‘environmental considerations’ score for each feature group per sector. The approach taken to the scoring differed slightly between feature groups based on the available evidence

Tags: marine planning
Organization: Natural Resources Wales
Water Framework Directive (WFD) Regulations Cycle 3 Classification

This dataset shows the boundaries and baseline classification, undertaken in 2021, for The Water Framework Directive (WFD) Cycle 3. It is an update in classification for all water bodies in Wales following on from the cycle 1 and cycle 2 classification rounds.  The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England & Wales) Regulations 2017 (referred to as the WFD Regulations) provide a framework for managing the water environment in England and Wales. The Directive aims for “good status” of all ground and surface water (rivers, lakes, transitional water, and coastal waters). Under the WFD Regulations, a river basin management plan must be prepared for each river basin district. The plan includes environmental objectives and a summary of the programmes of measures required to achieve those objectives.

Tags: Water Framework Directive (WFD), classification, inland waters, river basin
Organization: Natural Resources Wales