EXPERT GROUP ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURA 2000

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1 EXPERT GROUP ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURA th Meeting: 19 November 2015, 10:00-17:00 DG Environment, Avenue de Beaulieu 5, 1160 Brussels, Room BU5-0C Neil McIntosh, ECNC

2 Summary statistics of the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process ( ) SC Meetings Workshops Networking meetings Experts SID Presentations Sites visited KM presentations Alpine Atlantic Boreal Continental Cross cutting Marine Mediterranean Participants Total

3 Major thematic networking events since the last meeting Biogeographical Region Title Country Dates Participants Marine Kick-off Seminar France 5 8 May 146 Alpine Grasslands Monitoring and Assessment Italy May 41 Workshop Continental, Pannonian, LIFE platform meeting Romania May 25 Black Sea, Steppic Mediterranean Grassland Management Workshop Greece May 37 Atlantic Breaking Barriers: Stakeholder and Public United Kingdom June 13 Engagement for Natura 2000 sites Atlantic Natura 2000 Site Managers Twinning Belgium 11 June 20 Programme Launch Continental, Pannonian, Black Sea, Steppic Kick-off Seminar Luxembourg 29 June 1 July 112 Atlantic All Continental, Pannonian, Black Sea, Steppic Pannonian, Black Sea, Steppic Sharing wetland centre best practice between Natura 2000 sites along the East Atlantic flyway Natura 2000 Farmland Management and Biodiversity Spain September Spain 28 September 1 October How can we make the Water Framework Directive and the Birds and Habitats Directives work together? Workshop Hungary 6-8 October 16 Management of Grasslands and Forests Romania 4 6 October 40 All Workshop on Monitoring in Natura 2000 Spain October Boreal Life to ad(d)mire Final Seminar Sweden 3 5 November

4 Natura 2000 Kick-off Seminar Continental, Pannonian, Black Sea and Steppic regions (Luxembourg, 29/06 01/07/2015) 112 participants from 15 countries and EC representatives; Event explored barriers and synergies for management of coastal, forest, grassland and river habitats. Participants identified opportunities for joint action including: - Organise a follow-up seminar for Pannonian, Black Sea and Steppic grassland and forest habitats [done] - Create a database of good and bad management practices and habitats - Identify the actual and potential contribution of individual sites to the coherence of the Natura 2000 network including FCS - Develop guidance about the cooperation between forest authorities and Natura 2000 authorities in MS - Develop guidance on the integration of Water Framework Directive (WFD), Nature Directives and Floods Directive (Nitrates Directive) - Increase flexibility in management (esp. in relation to agro economic subsidies)

5 Natura 2000 Farmland Management and Biodiversity Conference (Madrid, Spain, 29/09 01/10/2015) 58 participants from 15 European countries and EC representative; Event explored barriers and opportunities for conservation of farmland biodiversity. Some main outcomes: - Make better use of existing structures for communication, capacity building and training in rural areas e.g. build ideas into project proposals - Ensure proactive engagement with all stakeholders and, in particular with: 1) decision-makers at regional/national level; and, 2) farm advisory systems (FAS) - Foster better cooperation between the rural actors in adopting integrated approaches to production and conservation - Highlight opportunities and communicate good examples of successful farming concepts in Natura Focus attention on the importance of the whole supply and commercial chain, from the producer to the consumer

6 Natura 2000 Monitoring - Integrating conservation management and monitoring (Barcelona, Spain, 19-21/10/2015) 60 participants from 16 European countries 16 speakers sharing knowledge about diverse topics related to monitoring: EU reporting Habitat monitoring (grasslands, inland dunes, mountain meadows) Site Condition Monitoring on mobile devices Remote sensing / Earth Observation / use of new technology Species monitoring (birds, butterflies, plants) Integrating monitoring with conservation management Monitoring the effects of habitat management Working with stakeholders

7 Natura 2000 Monitoring - Integrating conservation management and monitoring (Barcelona, Spain, 19-21/10/2015) A model for integrating conservation management and monitoring on Natura 2000 sites The model has two distinct cycles: 1. when the habitats and / or species are achieving the management aims and maintenance management is appropriate; and 1. when the habitats and / or species are failing to meet the management aims and restoration management is needed.

8 Natura 2000 Monitoring - Integrating conservation management and monitoring (Barcelona, Spain, 19-21/10/2015) Feedback Participants very positive about model, but guidance is needed for the practical application; Main area of concern: the need to develop clearly defined management goals from the outset; Participants recommended that guidance documents and workshops should be developed (both internationally and nationally) to help facilitate this objective-setting phase of the process - 10 main topics were identified to be addressed; Some Member States have been developing management objectives and condition indicators over several years now - these examples should be shared; The model could also be applied at landscape level: habitat monitoring would be more reliant on the integration of remote image interpretation and management responses might differ.

9 Follow-up Event Pannonian, Black Sea and Steppic regions (Arad, Romania, 4-6/11/2015) 40 participants from 5 countries The main outcomes of the event include: Habitats interpretation manual defines habitats too broadly - this has influence on the habitat identification, management and determining the FCS; Suggestions to initiate further follow-up events on several specific topics including: habitat descriptions, coastal ecotourism and coastal biodiversity management, IAS, forestry etc. EC to fund a study on Approaches to Combining Forestry and Natura 2000 Management Plans with good and bad examples, approaches to compensations, and some recommendation To use the communication Platform to exchange case studies and experience on: Natura 2000 Management Plans, experience on FCS definitions, national interpretation manuals, best-practice on invasive alien species management, etc. Evaluation showed that participants found the event very useful (out of 10, score > 8). Specifically, participants recognised the usefulness of the Process for knowledgebuilding and experience exchange, including the possibility to set up future cooperation activities and identify best practice case studies.

10 Up-coming follow-up events in different biogeographical regions BGR Title Place Dates Atlantic Dutch Nitrogen Tour Drenthe, Netherlands November Alpine Grassland Management Workshop Laufen, Bavaria, Germany Macaronesian Kick off Seminar Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 9 11 December March 16 Atlantic Workshop on Management of Natura 2000 sites in Estuaries and Sea Ports Antwerp, Belgium (t.b.c.) Spring 16 Alpine Forest Management Workshop Padova, Italy June 16 Atlantic Coasts and Dunes: Ecology, morphology and management of Natura 2000 sites Zeeland, Netherlands September 16 Boreal Review Seminar Vilnius, Lithuania September 16 All Sustainable Harvesting in Natura 2000 t.b.c. October 16

11 Thank you very much natura2000/platform/index_en.htm

12 EXPERT GROUP ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURA th Meeting: 19 November 2015, 10:00-17:00 DG Environment, Avenue de Beaulieu 5, 1160 Brussels, Room BU5-0C Neil McIntosh, ECNC

13 Indicative timetable for Review Seminars Biogeographical Region First Seminar or Kick-off Seminar Thematic events Review Seminar (indicative) Thematic Events Boreal May 2012 ongoing 2016 Continue after 2016 Atlantic December 2012 ongoing 2016 Continue after 2016 Alpine November 2013 ongoing 2016/ 2017 Continue after 2016/17 Mediterranean May 2014 As from Continue after 2017 Macaronesian 2016 As from Continue after 2018 Continental, Pannonian, Black Sea, Steppic 2015 As from Continue after 2017 Marine 2015 As from Continue after 2017

14 Preparing for the Natura 2000 'Review Seminars' (Boreal and Atlantic regions 2016) Possible themes for the review seminars Habitat specific management approaches; Stakeholder involvement and communication; Integrated funding for Natura 2000; Multiple benefits of Natura 2000; (Re-) Establishing ecological connectivity; Integrated approaches for Natura 2000 planning and management; Cross-sectoral cooperation and policy integration; Dealing with external pressures (for example, pollution); Adapting to global change (especially climate change).

15 Preparing for the Natura 2000 'Review Seminars' (Boreal and Atlantic regions 2016) Important strategic questions What lessons can be learnt from the results of the Article 17 (Habitats Directive) assessments of the conservation status of habitat types and species of Community interest? Can we define biogeographical level targets for conservation and restoration? Can favourable reference values be usefully defined at the biogeographical, national, regional or site levels? How can the effectiveness of conservation measures for achieving favourable conservation status be evaluated?

16 Preparing for the Natura 2000 'Review Seminars' (Boreal and Atlantic regions 2016) Proposed Primary Objectives Review the results of the follow-up activities so far; Ensure greater focus in the coming years to achieve progress towards strategic priorities. Ideas to structure the programmes of the seminars Thematic focusing on issues such as climate change & adaptation; Habitat focusing on specific habitat types; Strategic focusing on policy implementation; Technical focusing on improving reporting and information.

17 Preparing for the Natura 2000 'Review Seminars' (Boreal and Atlantic regions 2016) Suggested programme outline Maximum 2.5 to 3 days; Including field visits; Involving practical case studies and presentations from experts with direct experience of Natura 2000 management; Including a Knowledge Market as a key element of the programme; Supporting effective face-to-face networking; Be supported with concise background documentation.

18 Thank you very much natura2000/platform/index_en.htm

19 EXPERT GROUP ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURA th Meeting: 19 November 2015, 10:00-17:00 DG Environment, Avenue de Beaulieu 5, 1160 Brussels, Room BU5-0C Mark Snethlage, ECNC

20 Natura 2000 Platform

21 Platform statistics Content uploads to date: 445 documents 57 news items 105 relevant links 7 Funding opportunities 194 listed experts (link) 816 listed organisations (link) 126 Expert Input Pages (link) 6 regular and 1 special edition Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process Newsletters (link)

22 Natura 2000 Platform important developments An advanced document and information management system has been developed Digital newsletter developed and circulated (bi-monthly) Facility for users to submit expert and organisational profiles Access to information through an interactive biogeographical map Page with Natura 2000 funding opportunities Links developing with LIFE database REQUEST - please, promote & participate > share your details!

23 Developments in progress An image library is under development Individual feedback pages for platform users are being developed General website design with own look and feel is being developed REQUEST - please, get involved & participate > you are each others resource!

24 Natura 2000 Platform forum 65 members 18 topics 35 posts > views Ideal place to post questions and issues regarding Natura 2000 and the Process. Please be engaged!

25 Natura 2000 Database Relational database Collect all the process information since January 2012 Including: Participants names & expertise Organisations (georeferenced) Events organised Events participants attended

26 Natura 2000 Database: basic structure Events People Organisations

27 Natura 2000 Database: basic structure First Name Last Name

28 Natura 2000 Database: basic structure

29 Natura 2000 Database Queries to: Calculate process performance indicators Select speakers / participants / experts based on various criteria (expertise, previous participation etc) Analyse development of the process in time and space

30 Summary statistics of the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process ( ) SC Meetings Workshops Networking meetings Experts SID Presentations Sites visited KM presentations Alpine Atlantic Boreal Continental Cross cutting Marine Mediterranean Participants Total

31 Summary statistics of the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process ( )

32 Thank you very much natura2000/platform/index_en.htm