Every ecologist in the UK uses MAGIC Map and NBN Atlas. But many junior ecologists, planners, and developers don't understand the fundamental difference between them - or when you need one, the other, or both.
This guide explains what each platform provides, where they overlap, where they don't, and how to use them together for a thorough desktop study.
MAGIC Map: Designated Sites and Habitats
MAGIC - the Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside - is a web-based GIS tool run by Defra and Natural England. It provides spatial data on designated sites and habitats.
What MAGIC gives you:
- Statutory designations: SSSI boundaries, SAC, SPA, Ramsar, NNR, National Parks, AONBs (National Landscapes), LNRs
- Priority Habitats: The Priority Habitat Inventory showing habitats of principal importance under Section 41 of the NERC Act 2006
- Ancient Woodland: The Ancient Woodland Inventory
- GCN Risk Zones: District Level Licensing risk zone mapping
- SSSI Impact Risk Zones: Zones around SSSIs where certain development types trigger consultation with Natural England
- Agri-environment schemes: Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship agreement boundaries
- Flood risk data: Environment Agency flood zones
- Soil and geology: Agricultural land classification, geology mapping
What MAGIC does NOT give you:
- Species records. MAGIC does not tell you whether bats, otters, dormice, or any other species have been recorded near your site. It shows designations and habitats, not individual species occurrences.
- Scottish or Welsh data. Despite its nominal GB coverage, MAGIC's data for Scotland and Wales is patchy. For Scotland, use NatureScot Sitelink. For Wales, use DataMapWales.
Typical use case:
"I need to know if there are any SSSIs, SACs, or Ancient Woodland within 2km of my site."
NBN Atlas: Species Occurrence Records
The National Biodiversity Network Atlas is the UK's largest aggregated database of species occurrence records. It collects data from hundreds of recording schemes, conservation organisations, and citizen science platforms.
What NBN Atlas gives you:
- Species records: Individual records showing species name, date, grid reference, resolution, data source, and licence type
- Coverage: All taxonomic groups - mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, plants, fungi
- Temporal data: Records going back decades, with year of observation
- Data provenance: The name of the dataset and data provider for each record
What NBN Atlas does NOT give you:
- Designated site boundaries. NBN Atlas does not show SSSIs, SACs, Ancient Woodland, or any other designation polygons. It shows species records, not sites.
- Comprehensive coverage. Many high-resolution records from local recording groups are held exclusively by LERCs (Local Environmental Records Centres) and are not shared with NBN Atlas. A LERC data search remains best practice for formal PEAs.
- Context. A species record tells you something was observed at a location on a date. It doesn't tell you about habitat quality, population status, or site condition.
Typical use case:
"I need to know whether bats, GCN, or otter have been recorded within 2km of my site."
The Key Difference
Think of it this way:
- MAGIC Map answers: "What is designated or protected near this site?"
- NBN Atlas answers: "What species have been recorded near this site?"
A thorough desktop study needs both. An SSSI within your search buffer is a constraint whether or not any species have been recorded on your site. And bat records within 2km are relevant whether or not there's a designated site nearby.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Only checking MAGIC
"There are no SSSIs near my site, so there are no ecological constraints."
Wrong. Protected species can be present anywhere, regardless of designated sites. A bat roost in a barn 500m from your site won't show up on MAGIC, but it will show up on NBN Atlas (if it's been recorded). You need species records as well as designation data.
Mistake 2: Only checking NBN Atlas
"There are no bat records within 2km, so bats aren't present."
Wrong. Absence of records does not confirm absence of species. Many areas are under-recorded. And NBN Atlas doesn't hold all records - LERCs hold many more. You also need to check designated sites, Ancient Woodland, and Priority Habitats, none of which appear on NBN Atlas.
Mistake 3: Treating NBN records as definitive
"There are 3 otter records from 2019, so otter surveys are required."
Not necessarily definitive, but a strong indicator. The records tell you otter have been observed nearby, but you need ecological judgement to assess whether your specific site and proposed works are likely to affect otter habitat. A 3-year-old record at 10km resolution is very different from a 2024 record at 100m resolution.
Mistake 4: Forgetting Scotland and Wales
MAGIC is England-focused. If your site is in Scotland, you need NatureScot Sitelink for designations. If it's in Wales, you need NRW/DataMapWales. NBN Atlas covers all of GB, but designation data does not come from NBN.
Using Both Together: A Practical Workflow
For a standard PEA desktop study, here's the minimum:
- Check MAGIC (or NatureScot/NRW for Scotland/Wales) for statutory designations within your search buffer
- Check MAGIC for Ancient Woodland Inventory within at least 1km
- Check MAGIC for Priority Habitat Inventory
- Check MAGIC for GCN Risk Zones
- Check NBN Atlas for protected species records within your search buffer (bats, dormouse, otter, water vole, GCN, badger, reptiles, barn owl, and other relevant species)
- Order a LERC data search to supplement NBN Atlas records
- Compile all results into your desktop study report
This process typically takes 30-60 minutes. Longer if you're checking multiple sites or doing a corridor assessment along a linear route.
The Faster Alternative
EcoCheck combines both MAGIC and NBN Atlas data into a single search. Enter a grid reference, postcode, or coordinates and get statutory designations, protected species records, GCN risk zones, Ancient Woodland, Priority Habitats, and SSSI condition assessments in one result - for England, Scotland, and Wales.
For corridor assessments along linear infrastructure (rail, highways, pipelines), the Corridor Search feature lets you check multiple points along a route simultaneously.
The desktop data from EcoCheck does not replace a LERC search for formal PEAs. But it gives you a comprehensive screening in seconds instead of 45 minutes, so you can scope your site and plan your survey programme efficiently.
Patrick O'Connor is a Freelance Ecologist at Kinterra Consulting and the developer of EcoCheck - an instant ecological desktop assessment tool for any GB location. Try it free for 3 days at ecocheck.co.