Nature Conservancy Council
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The Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) was a former British government agency responsible for designating and managing national nature reserves and other such conservation areas.
The NCC was established by the Nature Conservancy Council Act, 1973 and replaced Nature Conservancy, itself established by Royal Charter in 1949. The council's duties included:
- management of nature reserves;
- providing scientific advice to government concerning official policy;
- designating Sites of Special Scientific Interest;
- undertaking certain scientific research.
In 1991, following the passage of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 and the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act, 1991, the Nature Conservancy Council was regionalised by division into English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Countryside Council for Wales, with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee acting as a national co-ordinating body for these three country agencies.