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NATURA 2000
NATURA 2000 is the basic program in the nature protection policy of the EU. It incorporates a network of protected sites of the EU member states. These sites are important for preservation of endangered habitat types and species listed on annexes of Habitats Directive and Birds Directive (Council Directive 92/42/EEC; Council Directive 79/409/EEC).
Each member state contributes to the NATURA2000 network creation by designating Special Areas of Conservation – SAC) in compliance with article 4. of the Habitats Directive.
When needed, EU member states increase the ecological structure of the NATURA2000 network by conservation and development of special parts of landscape important for wild flora and fauna. These landscapes are important because of their linear or continuous structure (e.g. rivers or river shores), or, in the other hand, for their function of «stepping stone» corridors (e.g. ponds or groves), necessary for migration, dispersion and genetic exchange of wild species.
Creation of NATURA2000 calls for integrated cooperation of all sectors at national or local level. It is recommended that its establishment proceeds in three basic phases:
Making of national lists
Species and habitat types listed on annexes of Directives are considered endangered or vulnerable at the whole European territory. First step in the creation of NATURA2000 is scientific assessment of threat status and distribution of mentioned species at national level. While doing this, it is necessary to take into consideration ecological quality of habitats, degree of representativity, size and density of the population of threatened species, degree of isolation etc. This way it is possible to determine and propose a list of important sites to the EU.
Selecting SCIs
In the second phase of the process, each proposed site on national list has to be assessed by European Commission in cooperation with the member state. Assessment is done on the basis of certain criteria, e.g.: relative value of the site, its importance as a migratory route, sites surface, sites uniqueness in the particular bio geographic region, importance of the site as a transboundary area, existence of certain number of threatened habitats and species etc. At the end of the assessment, Site of Community Interest (SCI) are selected. The final decision is made by the Ministerial Council of the EU.
Designation of SACs
After the site has been designates as Site of Community Interest SCI, member state has six years to declare it a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The most endangered sites have to be protected first. During this six year period member state has to gradually implement different measures for the protection of these areas. Each member state can choose its own methods and protection measures that are to be implemented. Whether it is case of legislative, administrative or contracting measure, they all have the same goal – to prevent destruction of certain site and, if necessary, to enable its restoration.
Birds Directive is another document that represents the basis of NATURA2000 network establishment. However, a process of declaring protected areas important for the species listed on this Directive is somewhat different. Namely, the site is designated as Special Protection Area (SPA) and directly incorporated into NATURA2000.
Management (Article 6 HD)
Each planned possibly threatening activity in the NATURA2000 sites has to be assessed from the nature protection point of view. Also, the public has to be involved in this assessment. It is necessary to avoid any activity that can negatively influence on the ecologically important area, except in the cases of prevailing public interest. In those cases, activities are approved, but with determination of compensatory measures that are primarily concerning the designation of substitute protected area at the other location.
Financing (Article 8 HD)
According to the article 8 of the Habitats Directive, each member state estimates the costs needed for the conservation of areas important for priority species and habitat types. European Commission is due to co finance needed protection measures for NATURA2000. Some of the activities are financed from the fund LIFE, while the measures of integration into the different sectors are financed from the structural funds, Agri-environment fund etc.
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