European Ecological Networks 2007
Shaping the European Ecological Network
Joint Secretariat of the programme element ‘Establishment of the Pan-European Ecological Network’ of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
ECNC, together with the Council of Europe’s Natural Heritage and Biological Diversity Division, holds the Secretariat of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN). This Secretariat facilitates the implementation of the PEEN as part of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS). In 2007 ECNC’s involvement in this process was through participation in the meeting of the Committee of Experts on PEEN in October, where ECNC gave a presentation for the future of PEEN Europe as well as the progress and outcome of the SEENET programme (see below). In addition, in November 2007 ECNC was involved in the first meeting of a working group, set up under the PEEN, to organize a major PEEN conference in 2009.
Funding: ECNC core funding.
Facilitating the Pan-European Ecological Network in South-East Europe and the Black Sea Area – SEENET
The two-year SEENET programme, which has done much to facilitate the implementation of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) in South-East Europe and the Black Sea region, ended in November 2007. The programme was coordinated by ECNC.
The programme’s achievements include:
• A clearing house mechanism (www.seenet.info) that provides information on funding possibilities on ecological network projects, a list of stakeholders in the region, a library with publications on ecological networks, call for proposals for projects on ecological networks, useful links, lessons learned and important nature conservation and non-conservation stakeholder events.
• The organization of two training seminars that tackled priority needs in the region: ‘Financing Ecological Networks’ (Istanbul, Turkey, April 2007) and ‘Balancing regional planning and ecological networks in South-East Europe and the Black Sea region’ (2006).
• Provision of opportunities for stakeholder groups to participate in national or international fora, events, training and seminars in the region (http://www.seenet.info/html/training/training.php) or in EU bodies and institutions where experts were able to represent their region.
• Development of communication materials on PEEN, and stakeholder involvement in ecological networks, and sectoral brochures on ecological networks in forestry, freshwater ecosystems, agriculture, transport, and fisheries (http://www.seenet.info/html/promotional/promotional.php).
• Inclusion of essential stakeholder groups involved in the implementation of ecological networks, such as the spatial planning sector: a stand was set up to promote ecological networks at the 5th International Congress for Spatial Planning, held in Malaga, Spain, in November 2007.
• Schools in the SEE region were targeted and pupils were asked to design posters to illustrate their views on ecological connectivity.
• Representation of the region at fora, e.g. PEEN Committee of Experts, EU Habitat Forum, PEBLDS Council and Bureau, Environment for Europe Conference, and CEMAT.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BBI-Matra).
Partners: EUCC-The Coastal Union (the Netherlands); Eurosite (the Netherlands).
More details: www.seenet.info
Restoring ecological networks across transport corridors in Bulgaria
Transport corridors, such as roads and railroads, have been proven to be major causes of habitat fragmentation. They not only cause the loss of natural habitats but also affect the quality of adjacent habitats, inhibit animal movements and increase unnatural wildlife mortality due to collisions with traffic. The main objective of the project is to develop a long-term programme for defragmentation measures at transport corridors in Bulgaria in order to restore ecological networks and preserve biodiversity. ECNC is taking part in the project’s Expert group.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BBI-Matra).
Partners: Alterra (the Netherlands; lead partner); one European partner and six Bulgarian partners.
More details: http://www.alterra.wur.nl
Development of a Carpathian Ecological Network
The aim of the project is to design, implement and manage the ecological network for the Carpathians. ECNC is participating in the Project Steering Committee to monitor the project implementation process and give guidance to the implementation in order to secure the project outcomes, meet the policy needs and wishes of responsible ministries of Romania, Ukraine and Serbia and of the Carpathian Convention, as well as to monitor the coherence and compatibility of the Ecological Network for the Carpathians with the Pan-European Ecological Network and with the implementation process of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BBI-Matra).
Partners: Wageningen International (the Netherlands; lead partner); Bio/consult Ltd. (Denmark); DAPHNE-Institute of Applied Ecology (Slovakia); Alterra (the Netherlands); Carpathian Convention Bureau; Carpathian EcoRegion Initiative (CERI; Slovakia); WWF-Danube Carpathian Programme.
More details: www.carpates.org
Spatial planning and ecological networks – SPEN
Spatial planning is a decisive sector in the planning of land use in space and therefore in the implementation of ecological networks. There has not yet been a comparative study on the interaction between policy on spatial planning and ecological networks in Europe. This project, which is being coordinated by ECNC, aims to fill this gap in research. This project aims at mapping the level of interaction between policy on spatial planning and ecological networks in Europe and in five selected countries (Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain) and at stimulating the involvement of spatial planning in the further development of ecological networks in Europe. The project will deliver a final report including an overview of most recent insights, concepts and approaches regarding spatial planning and ecological networks in European countries or regions, an analysis of interactions and possible bottlenecks between both circuits and the position of territorial nature policy and landscape policy in relation to spatial planning, five country reports with overview of national policy fields and a database of national and international contacts and organizations. Results will be presented in a conference in early 2009.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Directorate Knowledge Management.
Partners: Syzygy (the Netherlands); Orbicon A/S (Denmark); Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development (IÖR, Germany); Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection of the Czech Republic (AOPK, Czech Republic); Terra (Spain).
Joint Secretariat of the programme element ‘Establishment of the Pan-European Ecological Network’ of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy
ECNC, together with the Council of Europe’s Natural Heritage and Biological Diversity Division, holds the Secretariat of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN). This Secretariat facilitates the implementation of the PEEN as part of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS). In 2007 ECNC’s involvement in this process was through participation in the meeting of the Committee of Experts on PEEN in October, where ECNC gave a presentation for the future of PEEN Europe as well as the progress and outcome of the SEENET programme (see below). In addition, in November 2007 ECNC was involved in the first meeting of a working group, set up under the PEEN, to organize a major PEEN conference in 2009.
Funding: ECNC core funding.
Facilitating the Pan-European Ecological Network in South-East Europe and the Black Sea Area – SEENET
The two-year SEENET programme, which has done much to facilitate the implementation of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) in South-East Europe and the Black Sea region, ended in November 2007. The programme was coordinated by ECNC.
The programme’s achievements include:
• A clearing house mechanism (www.seenet.info) that provides information on funding possibilities on ecological network projects, a list of stakeholders in the region, a library with publications on ecological networks, call for proposals for projects on ecological networks, useful links, lessons learned and important nature conservation and non-conservation stakeholder events.
• The organization of two training seminars that tackled priority needs in the region: ‘Financing Ecological Networks’ (Istanbul, Turkey, April 2007) and ‘Balancing regional planning and ecological networks in South-East Europe and the Black Sea region’ (2006).
• Provision of opportunities for stakeholder groups to participate in national or international fora, events, training and seminars in the region (http://www.seenet.info/html/training/training.php) or in EU bodies and institutions where experts were able to represent their region.
• Development of communication materials on PEEN, and stakeholder involvement in ecological networks, and sectoral brochures on ecological networks in forestry, freshwater ecosystems, agriculture, transport, and fisheries (http://www.seenet.info/html/promotional/promotional.php).
• Inclusion of essential stakeholder groups involved in the implementation of ecological networks, such as the spatial planning sector: a stand was set up to promote ecological networks at the 5th International Congress for Spatial Planning, held in Malaga, Spain, in November 2007.
• Schools in the SEE region were targeted and pupils were asked to design posters to illustrate their views on ecological connectivity.
• Representation of the region at fora, e.g. PEEN Committee of Experts, EU Habitat Forum, PEBLDS Council and Bureau, Environment for Europe Conference, and CEMAT.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BBI-Matra).
Partners: EUCC-The Coastal Union (the Netherlands); Eurosite (the Netherlands).
More details: www.seenet.info
Restoring ecological networks across transport corridors in Bulgaria
Transport corridors, such as roads and railroads, have been proven to be major causes of habitat fragmentation. They not only cause the loss of natural habitats but also affect the quality of adjacent habitats, inhibit animal movements and increase unnatural wildlife mortality due to collisions with traffic. The main objective of the project is to develop a long-term programme for defragmentation measures at transport corridors in Bulgaria in order to restore ecological networks and preserve biodiversity. ECNC is taking part in the project’s Expert group.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BBI-Matra).
Partners: Alterra (the Netherlands; lead partner); one European partner and six Bulgarian partners.
More details: http://www.alterra.wur.nl
Development of a Carpathian Ecological Network
The aim of the project is to design, implement and manage the ecological network for the Carpathians. ECNC is participating in the Project Steering Committee to monitor the project implementation process and give guidance to the implementation in order to secure the project outcomes, meet the policy needs and wishes of responsible ministries of Romania, Ukraine and Serbia and of the Carpathian Convention, as well as to monitor the coherence and compatibility of the Ecological Network for the Carpathians with the Pan-European Ecological Network and with the implementation process of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BBI-Matra).
Partners: Wageningen International (the Netherlands; lead partner); Bio/consult Ltd. (Denmark); DAPHNE-Institute of Applied Ecology (Slovakia); Alterra (the Netherlands); Carpathian Convention Bureau; Carpathian EcoRegion Initiative (CERI; Slovakia); WWF-Danube Carpathian Programme.
More details: www.carpates.org
Spatial planning and ecological networks – SPEN
Spatial planning is a decisive sector in the planning of land use in space and therefore in the implementation of ecological networks. There has not yet been a comparative study on the interaction between policy on spatial planning and ecological networks in Europe. This project, which is being coordinated by ECNC, aims to fill this gap in research. This project aims at mapping the level of interaction between policy on spatial planning and ecological networks in Europe and in five selected countries (Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain) and at stimulating the involvement of spatial planning in the further development of ecological networks in Europe. The project will deliver a final report including an overview of most recent insights, concepts and approaches regarding spatial planning and ecological networks in European countries or regions, an analysis of interactions and possible bottlenecks between both circuits and the position of territorial nature policy and landscape policy in relation to spatial planning, five country reports with overview of national policy fields and a database of national and international contacts and organizations. Results will be presented in a conference in early 2009.
Funding: Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Directorate Knowledge Management.
Partners: Syzygy (the Netherlands); Orbicon A/S (Denmark); Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development (IÖR, Germany); Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection of the Czech Republic (AOPK, Czech Republic); Terra (Spain).
