The context of the third Natura 2000 seminar for the Atlantic biogeographical region

hosted by the Agency for Nature and Forests of the Government of Flanders

Antwerp, Belgium12 to 14 June 2019

Sophie Ouzet – ENV D3

2019 = 3rd Natura 2000 seminarfor the Atlantic biogeographical region

2019 = 3rd Natura 2000 seminarfor the Atlantic biogeographical region

2016: 2nd Atlantic seminar in Ennistymon (IE)

2012: 1st Atlantic seminar in Bergen (NL)

2011: Natura 2000 biogeographical process launched

2019 = 3rd Natura 2000 seminarfor the Atlantic biogeographical region

2016: 2nd Atlantic seminar in Ennistymon (IE)

2012: 1st Atlantic seminar in Bergen (NL)

2011: Natura 2000 biogeographical process launched

Working together in Natura 2000

to

enhance effective and coherent implementation, management, monitoring, financing and reporting

of the Natura 2000 network

2019 = 3rd Natura 2000 seminarfor the Atlantic biogeographical region

2016: 2nd Atlantic seminar in Ennistymon (IE)

2012: 1st Atlantic seminar in Bergen (NL)

2011: Natura 2000 biogeographical process launched

+ networking events organised under the process.

Sample of events since 2nd seminar

• International Workshop on Management of Coastal Dunes and Sandy Beaches; 12-14 June 2018, Dunkirk, Belgium

• Littoral 2017 Conference; 5–7 September 2017, Liverpool, UK

• One Site, One Plan. Integrated Conservation Management; 7-8 June 2017, Amersfoort, the Netherlands

Sample of events since 2nd seminar

• Workshop Vegetation databases and Natura 2000; 8 – 10 March 2017, Freiburg, Germany

• Lessons from the Stone-curlew LIFE project, RSPB; 28 February – 1 March 2017, Cambridge, United Kingdom

• Eurosite Twinning Workshop; 30 November – 1 December 2016, Tiengemeten, Netherlands

• InterLIFE FRANCE; November 7-8th 2016, Auzat Ariège, France

• Winterage festival related event; 28 - 30 October 2016, Burren, Ireland

Upcoming event for the Atlantic region

Workshop on Atlantic calcareous grasslands

18 to 20 September 2019, Caen, FR

CEN Normandie Seine

Management + Link with EU HAP 6210

Context:

The Natura 2000 network

and the implementation

of the Nature Directives

From Fitness Check to Action Plan

Conclusions of Fitness Check in 2016:

• The Nature Directives are fit for purpose

• Although substantial improvements in implementation are needed to ensure that they deliver their full potential.

From Fitness Check to Action Plan

Conclusions of Fitness Check in 2016:

• The Nature Directives are fit for purpose

• Although substantial improvements in implementation are needed to ensure that they deliver their full potential.

On 24 April 2017, the EC adopted a comprehensive Action Plan for nature, people and the economy:

• Timeframe 2017-2019

• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/fitness_

check/action_plan/index_en.htm

The objectives of the Action Plan

• To realise the full potential of the Nature Directives to achieve healthy ecosystems, for the benefit of people, nature and the economy

• To boost their contribution towards reaching the EU's biodiversity targets for 2020

• To improve the Nature Directives' coherence with broader socio-economic objectives

The 4 priority areas of the Action Plan

A. Improving guidance and knowledge and ensuring better coherence with broader socio-economic objectives

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/management/guidance_en.htm

Updating and further developing EU guidance on the implementation of the Nature Directives

The 4 priority areas of the Action Plan

A. Improving guidance and knowledge and ensuring better coherence with broader socio-economic objectives

B. Building political ownership and strengthening compliance

The 4 priority areas of the Action Plan

A. Improving guidance and knowledge and ensuring better coherence with broader socio-economic objectives

B. Building political ownership and strengthening compliance

Action 6: Bring together public authorities and stakeholders from different Member States at the biogeographical region level to address common challenges, including on cross-border issues.

=The Natura 2000 biogeographical process

The 4 priority areas of the Action Plan

A. Improving guidance and knowledge and ensuring better coherence with broader socio-economic objectives

B. Building political ownership and strengthening compliance

C. Strengthening investment in Natura 2000 and improving synergies with EU funding instruments

The 4 priority areas of the Action Plan

A. Improving guidance and knowledge and ensuring better coherence with broader socio-economic objectives

B. Building political ownership and strengthening compliance

C. Strengthening investment in Natura 2000 and improving synergies with EU funding instruments

D. Better communication and outreach, engaging citizens, stakeholders and communities

The Natura 2000

biogeographical process

Action 6: Bring together public authorities andstakeholders from different Member States at thebiogeographical region level to address commonchallenges, including on cross-border issues.

The Natura 2000 biogeographical process

is a stakeholders' co-operation process

• It is refocused,

• Follows agreed roadmaps,

• Develops through seminars and thematic events,

• Benefits from communication support.

The Process is refocused to:

• improve coherence in evaluating conservation status of protected habitats and species andsetting conservation objectives and priorities at biogeographical level

• identify and promote best practices in conservation management approaches to deliver conservation results at biogeographical level;

• strengthen cooperation and sharing of experience on common challenges and opportunities, such as communication and stakeholder involvement, multiple benefits of the Natura 2000 network and cross-border issues.

The Process developsthrough seminars and thematic events

Networking through:

• 2nd round of seminars completed let alone in the Macaronesian region,

today starting a 3rd round of seminars.

• Ongoing cooperation activities

and networking programme.

Ongoing cooperation activitiesunder the Process

• To exchange experiences, case studies, best practices

• To develop new management insights (cross-border)

• To collect information on threats and conservation needs for species and habitats

• To develop stakeholders' cooperation frameworks, networks of specialists and site managers, etc.

• To better integrate socio-economic objectives into Natura 2000 management

• To identify common objectives, priorities and management actions

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/platform/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/seminars_en.htm

The Process benefits fromcommunication support

The process follows agreed roadmaps

In relation to given topics,

they list the objectives and actions

highlighted during the seminars

as particularly relevant for cross border cooperation

in the biogeographical region.

Benchmarks for initiatives under the Process

and the development of Commission support.

The 3rd Natura 2000 seminar

for the Atlantic region:

a milestone event

in a continuing process

A milestone in the Process

Discussions, exchange of knowledge, networking

• on four themes in four work groups,

• at the knowledge market,

• during the field visits,

• in plenary.

Definition and prioritization of the possible future cooperative action that will be at the core of our roadmap to guide us in working together.

A milestone in the Process

Extensive report of the seminar with prioritized proposals and conclusions…

… will be processed into a biogeographical-level roadmap for cooperative action

… and presented for discussion to the relevant steering committee and in NADEG

An iterative and open mechanism.

Field visits

Follow-ups: implementing the roadmap

Deliver the work of common interest identified duringthe seminars or through ongoing networking.

A challenge: identifying leading persons and ressources.

Specific ressources available under support contract:

• Promotion of the related events

• Technical assistance from the EC's contractor, for about 8 events/year for all the biogeo. regions:

1. assistance to organisers and chairs (agendas, facilitation…)

2. help the host with the venue, catering, transport

3. cover the travel costs of some participants

Introduction

to the workgroups of the

3rd Atlantic Natura 2000 seminar

Topics and working group introductions

• 1: Protection and conservation of meadow birds (Rebecca Jeffrey)

• 2: Integrated approaches to tackling nitrogen pollution impacts (Jan Willem van de Veghte)

• 3: Improving conservation through integrated management (Richard White)

• 4:Developing know-how in stakeholders involvement (Dries Gorissen)

Facilitation: WUR and Consortium

Thank you!

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/index_en.htm