A district council may provide nature reserves on any land in its district (not being land held by, or the subject of an agreement or covenant entered into by the Department, under this Part), where it appears to the council expedient that the land should be managed for such purposes.

A district council may acquire land by agreement for the purposes of paragraph (1).

Where a district council provides a nature reserve under paragraph (1), the council may make byelaws for the protection of the nature reserve, and paragraphs (2) and (3) of Article 19 shall have effect in relation to byelaws made under this paragraph as if for references to the Department there were substituted references to a district council.

District councils shall exercise their functions under this Article in consultation with the Committee for Nature Conservation.

In this Article the expression “provide” shall be construed in accordance with section 147(a) of the [1972 c. 9 (N.I.)] Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.