The Habitats Directive protects a large variety of the UK's plant and animal species, including rare and vulnerable animals such as otters, bats and dormice, and habitats from heathlands to sand dunes to rocky caves. It puts in place systems to make sure that areas containing this precious biodiversity are not damaged by development. It plays an important role in securing the vital ecosystem services benefiting human well being that flow from the preservation of such healthy natural areas. Not all human activity is excluded from sites protected under this legislation - the idea is not to create "fenced off" no-go areas, but areas where humans and nature can co-exist. The legislation therefore provides a set of tests for activities and potential developments to ensure that those not adversely affecting sites and species may continue, whilst those which cause damage are prevented.