European Ecological Network Research Articles

The Pan European Ecological Network: PEEN

The pan European biological and landscape diversity strategy (PEBDLS) was developed under the auspices of the Council of Europe in order to achieve the effective implementation of the convention of biological diversity (CBD) at the European level. A key element of PEBLDS has been the development of the Pan European Ecological Network (PEEN) as a guiding vision for coherence in biodiversity conservation. PEEN has been developed in three subprojects: Central and Eastern Europe, completed in 2002; South-eastern Europe, completed in 2006; and Western Europe, also completed in 2006. The methodology of the development of the three maps has been broadly comparable but data availability, differences in national databases, technical developments and geographical differences caused variations in the detailed approach. One of the challenges was to find common denominators for the habitat data in Europe; this was solved differently for the subprojects. The project has resulted in three maps that together constitute the PEEN. They differ in terms of ecological coherence and the need for ecological corridors; for example, in Central and Western Europe corridors are essential to provide connectivity, while in Northern, Eastern and South-eastern Europe larger, coherent natural areas still exist. The future steps in developing PEEN should include the implementation of national ecological networks and, in particular, the pursuit of international coherence through the development of trans-European ecological corridors. The big challenge is to develop a common approach among the over 100 European-wide agencies that are responsible for biodiversity conservation.

“Natura 2000” ecological network in the aspect of sustainable development

The work discusses the operation of the “Natura 2000” European Ecological Network in aspects related to sustainable development, i.e. taking into account economic undertakings and planned business projects which conform to the idea of sound management of natural resources. The legal basis for the Natura 2000 network is the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and the Birds Directive 79/409/EEC, which have been transposed into the Polish law, especially in the Act of 16 April 2004 on the protection of nature. Both environmental conservation directives seek to establish an ecological network of protected areas (so-called Natura 2000 sites) across Europe. In Poland, Natura 2000 comprises Special Protection Areas for birds (SPAs, or bird sites), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs, or habitat sites) and Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) (based on the Act on the protection of nature). Studies have demonstrated that Poland currently has a total of 141 SPAs with an area of 55,228 km2, which makes up 15.6% of Poland’s land area, and 364 SACs occupying 2.89 million ha, which represents 8.95% of the total area of Poland. The Natura 2000 European Ecological Network Programme supports the principle of sustainable development in the context of guidelines set out in Art. 6 (3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive (92/42/EEC) under which any plan or project which is likely to have a significant impact on a Natura 2000 site should be subject to appropriate assessment to determine how it affects the site. Environmental impact assessment is a preventative nature conservation tool which, based on thorough consideration of different implementation options of specific projects combined with public opinion research, helps eliminate solutions that fail to comply with the overriding principle of sustainable development.

Le réseau Natura 2000 : un défi pour la gestion multifonctionnelle des forêts

Sustainable forest management and the implementation of the European ecological network Natura 2000 are two different approaches to managing natural environments with their own objectives but should be amenable to being reconciled. Both have a multiple use approach to space and they can reach common ground in terms of the objective of sustainable forestry that reconciles production of a resource with achieving a satisfactory ecological state. However, in the Natura 2000 network of sites, achieving a satisfactory state of conservation is a duty to achieve a given result which compels foresters to pay significantly more attention to biodiversity considerations in the various silvicultural planning documents, which are a priori suitable tools, and then to concentrate on implementing management measures. The goal of “favourable conservation status” is complex and difficult to characterise. Evaluation must be performed both at the scale of the site and of the biogeographic area. Indeed, the ecological functionality of forest habitats (which incorporate “favourable conservation status” criteria) and the effects of climate change of forests cannot be adequately taken on board without a dynamic vision of the network of sites. While some actions that favour biodiversity are “easily” reconciled with forest output objectives, others are more demanding. Drawing these two policies together may in those cases be achieved by a continuum of solutions and requires technical or financial support for local players. On sites where the stakes are high, as illustrated by the case of the Compiegne forest, forest management furthermore requires intensified and ongoing consultations to ensure that it is socially acceptable. In a rapidly changing society which finds it difficult to reconcile production and protection objectives, foresters must adopt new attitudes to support the policy choice that, without excluding appropriate use of the status of protected area, posits multiple-use management as still the best means for managing the Natura 2000 network that includes 18% of French forests.

Стратегічні аспекти природоохоронної діяльності біосферного резервату "Шацький”

The national program of forming of ecological network of Ukraine on 2000–2015 foresees creation of elements with subsequent integration in the European ecological network. Basic directions of development of BR «Shatskiy» are reflected in the article. Key words: ecological network, strategy of development, BR „Shatskiy”, „Western Polissya”.

Widespread rocky reef occurrence in the central English Channel and the implications for predictive habitat mapping

Reefs are one of the marine habitats listed in Annex I of the European Union's Habitats Directive, which aims to establish a coherent European ecological network of Special Areas of Conservation. EU Member States are required to prepare and propose a national list of sites for evaluation under the scheme, but currently the occurrence of reefs in the United Kingdom's nearshore and offshore areas is not well documented. Here we report on our search for rocky reefs in the central English Channel, which unexpectedly revealed an extensive reef system covering an area of 1100 km 2. Prior to our work, it was generally perceived that the seabed in this area comprised mostly gravel, with a few isolated rock outcrops. Our approach to determining the location, extent and character of these reefs incorporated broad, medium and fine-scale analyses over a 3200 km 2 area of seabed, using single- and multi-beam acoustic data, ground-truthed by underwater video and stills imagery. A benthic terrain model was developed in ArcGIS to map topographic features at the broad and medium scales. Biotope assignments were made at the fine scale through detailed analysis of video footage obtained from 30 sampling stations. The study area has a complex geological history and lies at the centre of a major bedload-parting zone. Together, these strongly influence the seabed character and the distribution of biotopes. An integrated assessment of the physical and biological features was used to map the study area to level 4 of the EUNIS habitat classification system. Similar physical conditions exist in other areas of the UK continental shelf, raising the prospect of predicting where other rocky reef systems might occur. In the absence of a co-ordinated national seabed survey programme, such predictions, coupled with interpretation of existing single-beam bathymetry data, can help prioritise areas where limited survey resources could be most effectively deployed.

A Proposed Target State for a Floodplain Forest Ecosystem Within an Ecological Network, with Reference to the Ecological Requirements of an Umbrella Bird Species: The Common Kingfisher

A Proposed Target State for a Floodplain Forest Ecosystem Within an Ecological Network, with Reference to the Ecological Requirements of an Umbrella Bird Species: The Common KingfisherThe present day cultural landscape of Europe is comprised of an ecological network of corridors and core areas (biocentres). This article proposes the use of umbrella species to define the target state of an ecosystem in a floodplain biocentre of the European Ecological Network. The umbrella species used were chosen to represent typical bird species of forested floodplains. Case studies were developed in the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area, a Bird Area in the Czech Republic.

An assessment of the attitudes of the inhabitants of Northern Karpathos, Greece: towards a framework for ecotourism development in environmentally sensitive areas

This paper is a case study that sets out to explore the extent to which the local residents of the region of Northern Karpathos and Saria in the southeast corner of the Aegean have positive attitudes and perceptions towards ecotourism ventures for sustainable development. The area is included in the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 and was chosen for studying since it constitutes an ideal location for the promotion of soft and alternative forms of tourism. The investigation of the attitudes of the inhabitants of the Community of Olympos, in Northern Karpathos was carried out using as research tool a questionnaire that was drawn up specifically for the needs of the present work. The attempt to provide a systematic way of studying the inhabitants’ attitudes led to the proposition of a framework that contains the necessary conditions for sustainable ecotourism development. This is based on three fundamental factors, namely: (a) environmental conservation, (b) environmental education and (c) empowerment of local community. The main conclusion drawn was that the perceptions of the local people accord with the basic principles of ecotourism. Residents (a) showed a high degree of awareness and sensitivity regarding environmental conservation issues in the area, (b) recognised the need for environmental education concerning ecotourism activities and (c) had a favourable attitude towards the implementation of initiatives in the ecotourism field aimed at their empowerment and at promoting sustainable development in the area. The participants’ place of permanent residence and level of education appeared to influence significantly their perceptions of this alternative form of tourism.

Natura 2000 Habitat Types of Greece Evaluated in the Light of Distribution, threat and Responsibility

Natura 2000 Habitat Types of Greece Evaluated in the Light of Distribution, threat and Responsibility

Can a Territorial Policy be Based on Science Alone? The System for Creating the Natura 2000 Network in France

Decreed in May 1992 by the eec with a view to conserving biodiversity, the Habitats directive envisages, between now and the year 2004, constructing a European ecological network named Natura 2000. The implementation of the network, based firstly on compiling a list of habitats and species that could be recognized as being of Community importance, generated considerable conflict in France, to the extent that the directive was suspended in July 1996. The analysis of the Habitats directive system has taken a two‐fold approach. The procedures first of all correspond to the tools for reaching the goals set out in the Brussels text, in the time allowed and based on scientific criteria. The second dimension refers to an interpretation of the debates and conflicts generated by the application of the directive's conservation measures on the territory. This second dimension in fact would have been difficult to implement were it not for the support of the area administrators, since their involvement was crucial. In this context, we have interpreted the changes in the procedures of the Habitats directive and the role given to negotiations as well as the issues raised by the nature conservation policies that could no longer be restricted to scientific criteria.

Conservation and conflict resolution in transboundary protected areas: prespa as an european case-study

Transboundary protected areas have a primary role of conserving bio-diversity and natural ecological processes protected areas in sensitive areas. However in addition to serving the nature conservation, transboundary protected areas are widely held to offer a major contribution to managing and resolving political divisions via establishing links and building trust and co-operation between individuals and communities in addressing common social and economic needs. Lake Prespa and the Desaret lake region provide an opportunity both to test and apply these ideas. The common aims and objectives for the area should be eventually articulated in a management plan, which covers not just species and ecosystem conservation, but also socio-economic objectives and mutually supportive co-existence of nations and minorities. The main players in this process will be ‘epistemic communities’ - conservation managers, academic researchers, local community representatives - all with appropriate institutional links at national and international level. Progress has already begun: the academic communities in Albania, Greece and Macedonia are already working towards this goal through a first Albano-Greko-Macedonian cross-boundary consensus as a basis for lasting co-operation between local peoples and their governments in the area. Prespa and the Desaret natural system are to take its place within an European Ecological Network as one of the key ‘ecological bricks’ of our common European Heritage.

Prospects for nature and landscape protection in Estonia

The current article focuses on the past, present and future of nature conservation and landscape protection in Estonia. Five stages of nature conservation can be distinguished: (1) the common law phase, (2) the phase of narrow regulations restricting the use of nature resources, (3) the protection of nature monuments and species protection, (4) the establishment of multifunctional protected areas, and (5) the nature protection outside protected areas, cross-sectoral approach to preserving landscape and biological diversity. The main problems of current landscape protection and future trends are outlined. Designing the national ecological network and connecting it to the European ecological network is the priority for further nature and landscape conservation policy.

Agriculture and nature in ecological networks in the Netherlands and Europe

AbstractIn the last few decades, the area of land used for agriculture in the Netherlands has decreased, whereas agricultural production has steadily increased. One of the effects of this development has been a severe deterioration in the quality of the natural environment as agriculture and nature compete for space. Although attempts have been made to integrate agriculture and nature conservation, the policies adopted have not been wholly successful and environmental degradation has continued. Consequently, a new strategy for a National Ecological Network (NEN) has been developed. A number of factors are proposed which will determine the success, not only of the NEN in the Netherlands, but also of the proposed European Ecological Network (EECONET) in integrating the often conflicting goals of agriculture and nature conservation.

The Land Use within Nature 2000 Cusma Site

The high procentage of natural ecosystems within Natura 2000 Cusma Site, has determinate a high number of habitates and community interest species. A main activity of the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 is to conserve and protect the most representative species, together with the habitats they are living in. The right perpetuation of these species is corelated with the land use. Within Nature 2000 Cusma Site surface we can find arable land, forests, buildings, waters and swams. The most representative are the surfaces covered by forests, in other categories of land use detriment. Four game funds are found in Cusma site, three belonging to Bistrita Forest District (Cusma, Tihuta and Budac Game Funds). Most of the mountain areas within the site belong to the Colibita Game Fund and the hilly areas belong to Budac and Cusma Game Funds.