Protected plants
Advice and legislation relating to protected plants.
Legal status
A number of plant species are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) in Schedule 8
and The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 in Schedule 5. It is an offence to deliberately pick, collect, cut, uproot or destroy a these wild plants. It is also an offence for any purpose to possess, sell or exchange such a plant. For more information on plants protected by European Legislation please see European Protected Species.
There is, however, provision within the legislation to carry out prohibited actions under a licence in certain defined circumstances, if the issue cannot be resolved by any alternative means.
Wildlife Management and Licensing administers such licence applications for the following purposes:
- science, education or conservation of wild plants or introduction of wild plants into particular areas
- preventing serious damage to livestock, food for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, or any other form of property or to fisheries
- preventing the spread of disease
- preserving public health or public safety
- possession of species or derivatives
- for other imperative reasons of overriding public interest (e.g. development) (please note this only applies to species listed under Schedule 8 of the Habitats Directive, there is no 'development' purpose under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981)
Advice & leaflets
There is currently one leaflet available on protected plants and licensing - Guidance on sampling rare aquatic plants: (30kb)
. If you require further advice contact us. You may also find the answers to our frequently asked questions: (529kb) useful. If the activity you propose cannot be carried out without a licence please download one of our application forms below.
How to apply for a licence
If you wish to apply for a licence you will need to complete a form, all application forms can be downloaded from this website, in most cases they should be posted to the address on the form. Please note that we are currently updating our forms to allow electronic submission. If you are unable to download a form please contact us. There is no charge for this licence or for advice.
Following receipt of your completed application, a Wildlife Management Adviser may contact you to discuss the case or arrange a visit to the site where the problem is occurring. The adviser will assess the situation and provide guidance on the remedial options available where applicable.
We aim to process damage, agriculture, public health and safety and overriding public interest related licence applications in 30 working days from date of receipt and science, education, conservation and possession cases in 15 working days.
Please download an application form using the links below:
- Science, education, conservation
- Possession - EPS: (287kb)
- Sale - EPS: (271kb)
- Overriding public interest, health & safety or damage - EPS (please note this application form is in 3 sections)
