The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is a Northern Ireland Executive conservation agency within the Department of the Environment. Unlike the equivalent bodies in England, Scotland and Wales, it aims to promote and conserve both the natural environment and the built environment and to promote their appreciation by present and future generations.
Northern Ireland has 9 areas of outstanding natural beauty, 47 national nature reserves, 43 special areas of conservation, and 10 special protection areas.
There are 181 scheduled monuments in state care in Northern Ireland, and around 1700 scheduled monuments in total.
Prior to 1 July 2008, the agency was called the Environment and Heritage Service.
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