Local, national and European policies may influence the way heathlands are managed and this in turn can affect wildlife in a positive or negative way. For example, heathlands are included in the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC as "a natural habitat type of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special conservation areas". UK has about 20% of the international total of this habitat. UK Government published in 1994 its Biodiversity Action Plan in response to Article 6 of the Biodiversity Convention in Rio in 1992. Lowland heathland is one of the Habitat Action Plans published and its implementation has been assessed recently (September 1999). One of the action points, for instance, is to "take account of the conservation requirements of lowland heathland in developing and adjusting agri-environment schemes". Please contact Dr Isabel Alonso (email: isabel.alonso@naturalengland.org.uk) at Natural England if you know of any local or national law or regulation in your country which could affect heathlands positively or negatively and the information or the link, if it already exists, could be included here.     Lowland Heathland Habitat Action Plan     Links to Natural England resources: UK Biodiversity Action Plan Biodiversity Action Plans - Lowland Heaths Environmental Stewardship   Please contact Dr Isabel Alonso (email: isabel.alonso@naturalengland.org.uk) at Natural England with details of any other links you think should appear here.       Copyright     Privacy    Freedom of information    Directgov