Snowdrops Galanthus nivalis Photo Paul Goriup NatureBureau

DECEMBER 2019

Welcome to the December 2019 edition of the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process

Newsletter

It has been a busy period since our last Newsletter in September with many events

undertaken As well as reporting on these we are happy to announce a call for

networking event proposals to be held in 2020 If you have any questions comments or

remarks about the content of this newsletter please do contact us at

natura2000platformwurnl

And not least we wish all our readers a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year

In this edition

Forthcoming events and call for proposals for networking events 2020

Meeting reports Third Boreal seminar and networking events

Project focus MEASURES to protect the Danube Sturgeons

5 minutes with Jannica Haldin Professional Secretary HELCOM

Other news Natura 2000 awards photo challenge and morehellip

CALL FOR NETWORKING EVENTS 2020

As in previous years we invite proposals for networking events to be held in 2020 with

support from the biogeographical process The deadline for proposals for events to be

held in 2020 is January 15th However proposals for future events will also be

considered all through the year if resources allow

Networking events address issues of transboundary concern related to habitat types and

species conservation and management in the Natura 2000 network These events can be

proposed hosted and organised by a Member State a Natura 2000 management body

Natura 2000 landowners a scientific institute or any other organisation involved in the

management of Natura 2000 In some cases the networking event may be held back to

back with another event or workshop dealing with a topic relevant for Natura 2000 or it

may comprise a site visit to study best practices for management of habitats and

species The proposed event must be linked to the actions identified as priorities for the

various biogeographical regions and listed in the relevant roadmap for cooperation in the

region

More details about networking events can be found here including the application form

The selection of the proposals to be supported and notification of the proposers will take

place by mid-February 2020

The following events will be held during the coming months Updates on them can be found

on our website or by following our Twitter account

Egyptian Vulture LIFE project dates to be confirmed

The LIFE Egyptian vulture project was set up to implement concrete measures to help prevent the

extinction of the Egyptian vulture in Italy and consolidate the recovery seen in the Canary Islands over

the past two decades There are two upcoming workshops with the exact dates and locations yet to

be confirmed More information on the project can be found here

Top

3rd Natura 2000 Boreal seminar 14-16 October 2019 Tallinn

Estonia

Seminar participants at Tallinn Zoo Photo Theo van der Sluis

A very successful 3rd Boreal seminar was held this autumn in Estonia Its main aim was

to identify prioritise and develop transboundary cooperation actions

76 people participated in the seminar mostly from the five Boreal Member States but

experts from the LIFE programme the European Commission and a representative of the

Council of Europe also attended the meeting

The seminar was opened by Mr Marku Lamp Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry

of Environment Estonia and Mr Micheal OrsquoBriain from the European Commission There

then followed general presentations about the biogeographical process the role of LIFE

and progress since the previous Boreal seminar Stakeholder involvement in Natura

2000 priorities for action and Natura 2000 and climate change were presented and

discussed in workgroups A guided tour of the zoo then took place leading up to the

start of the knowledge market where about 20 participants presented their projects

starting with Mr T Maran Director of the Tallinn Zoo He spoke about the role of zoos in

awareness raising and conservation of species in particular through ex-situ

conservation as demonstrated by the Tallinn Zoorsquos commitment to conserving the

European Mink

Forest excursion in Lahemaa National Park Photo Theo van der Sluis

On the second day two field visits in the Lahemaa National Park were organised by the

Environmental Board of Estonia

One group visited ancient wooded meadows often a thousand years or more old known

as alvars As they had become overgrown they benefitted from successful restoration

and management by grazing or mowing The scheme is so popular that extending it to

farmland areas outside the Natura 2000 network is being considered Local communities

and farmers are eager to restore the open landscape and some communities even rent

cattle to graze the meadows The group also visited old growth forests (Western Taiga

habitat 9010) where no management has been practised for the past 200 years and

discussed indicators of age which include the presence of dead wood complex habitat

structure and growths of mosses and lichens

The other group focused first on the restoration of river systems especially for migrating

fish and the pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) which was widespread and

abundant at the beginning of the 20th century but is now much reduced Work to reduce

fine sediments improve passage opportunities for host fish and restore natural

conditions in the PudisooPaumlrlijotildegi river has resulted in the mussel spreading along the

river However no juvenile mussels have been found so a semiartificial breeding

programme is planned to restock the river The group then learned about the EU LIFE

MIRES ESTONIA project that has started installing peat dams filling drainage ditches and

clearing trees to restore the damage done to the Laukasoo raised bog and mire (habitat

7110) by extensive forest drainage and peat extraction

On the final day peers met to share knowledge in four habitat working groups and

design perspectives for further exchange in their field of work

Some of the ideas for follow-up actions and initiatives for joint cooperation selected by

the seven workgroups were further discussed in plenary before the seminar came to an

end Several initiatives took shape such as a possible joint transboundary proposal for

improved landscape connectivity which is essential for forest ecosystems in the light of

current climate change as well as for mires and wetlands Ideas for the preparation of a

grassland networking event and for cross-sectoral consultations on priority setting in

planning were also coined No doubt the habitat working groups who also renewed the

arrangements for communication among their members will be supportive of their

development

The many proposals generated at the seminar are currently being worked up to update

the Boreal roadmap The full seminar report and roadmap will soon be available here

Top

76 people participated in the seminar mostly from the five Boreal Member States but

experts from the LIFE programme the European Commission and a representative of the

Council of Europe also attended the meeting

The seminar was opened by Mr Marku Lamp Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry

of Environment Estonia and Mr Micheal OrsquoBriain from the European Commission There

then followed general presentations about the biogeographical process the role of LIFE

and progress since the previous Boreal seminar Stakeholder involvement in Natura

2000 priorities for action and Natura 2000 and climate change were presented and

discussed in workgroups A guided tour of the zoo then took place leading up to the

start of the knowledge market where about 20 participants presented their projects

starting with Mr T Maran Director of the Tallinn Zoo He spoke about the role of zoos in

awareness raising and conservation of species in particular through ex-situ

conservation as demonstrated by the Tallinn Zoorsquos commitment to conserving the

European Mink

Forest excursion in Lahemaa National Park Photo Theo van der Sluis

On the second day two field visits in the Lahemaa National Park were organised by the

Environmental Board of Estonia

One group visited ancient wooded meadows often a thousand years or more old known

as alvars As they had become overgrown they benefitted from successful restoration

and management by grazing or mowing The scheme is so popular that extending it to

farmland areas outside the Natura 2000 network is being considered Local communities

and farmers are eager to restore the open landscape and some communities even rent

cattle to graze the meadows The group also visited old growth forests (Western Taiga

habitat 9010) where no management has been practised for the past 200 years and

discussed indicators of age which include the presence of dead wood complex habitat

structure and growths of mosses and lichens

The other group focused first on the restoration of river systems especially for migrating

fish and the pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) which was widespread and

abundant at the beginning of the 20th century but is now much reduced Work to reduce

fine sediments improve passage opportunities for host fish and restore natural

conditions in the PudisooPaumlrlijotildegi river has resulted in the mussel spreading along the

river However no juvenile mussels have been found so a semiartificial breeding

programme is planned to restock the river The group then learned about the EU LIFE

MIRES ESTONIA project that has started installing peat dams filling drainage ditches and

clearing trees to restore the damage done to the Laukasoo raised bog and mire (habitat

7110) by extensive forest drainage and peat extraction

On the final day peers met to share knowledge in four habitat working groups and

design perspectives for further exchange in their field of work

Some of the ideas for follow-up actions and initiatives for joint cooperation selected by

the seven workgroups were further discussed in plenary before the seminar came to an

end Several initiatives took shape such as a possible joint transboundary proposal for

improved landscape connectivity which is essential for forest ecosystems in the light of

current climate change as well as for mires and wetlands Ideas for the preparation of a

grassland networking event and for cross-sectoral consultations on priority setting in

planning were also coined No doubt the habitat working groups who also renewed the

arrangements for communication among their members will be supportive of their

development

The many proposals generated at the seminar are currently being worked up to update

the Boreal roadmap The full seminar report and roadmap will soon be available here

Top

cattle to graze the meadows The group also visited old growth forests (Western Taiga

habitat 9010) where no management has been practised for the past 200 years and

discussed indicators of age which include the presence of dead wood complex habitat

structure and growths of mosses and lichens

The other group focused first on the restoration of river systems especially for migrating

fish and the pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) which was widespread and

abundant at the beginning of the 20th century but is now much reduced Work to reduce

fine sediments improve passage opportunities for host fish and restore natural

conditions in the PudisooPaumlrlijotildegi river has resulted in the mussel spreading along the

river However no juvenile mussels have been found so a semiartificial breeding

programme is planned to restock the river The group then learned about the EU LIFE

MIRES ESTONIA project that has started installing peat dams filling drainage ditches and

clearing trees to restore the damage done to the Laukasoo raised bog and mire (habitat

7110) by extensive forest drainage and peat extraction

On the final day peers met to share knowledge in four habitat working groups and

design perspectives for further exchange in their field of work

Some of the ideas for follow-up actions and initiatives for joint cooperation selected by

the seven workgroups were further discussed in plenary before the seminar came to an

end Several initiatives took shape such as a possible joint transboundary proposal for

improved landscape connectivity which is essential for forest ecosystems in the light of

current climate change as well as for mires and wetlands Ideas for the preparation of a

grassland networking event and for cross-sectoral consultations on priority setting in

planning were also coined No doubt the habitat working groups who also renewed the

arrangements for communication among their members will be supportive of their

development

The many proposals generated at the seminar are currently being worked up to update

the Boreal roadmap The full seminar report and roadmap will soon be available here

Top

Eurosite Remote Sensing and Monitoring Workshop 9-11 April 2019

Sanluacutecar de Barrameda Spain update on conclusions

In our May newsletter we reported about a Remote Sensing and Monitoring workshop

(networking event) in Donana in April The event was organised by Eurosite with support

from the BGP The final report of the workshop is now available here

Also as a spin-off Eurosite has set up a Remote Sensing Support Group Please find

more information here

ICES Marine Knowledge Market on Natura 2000 11 September 2019

Gothenburg Sweden

Attendees of the Marine Knowledge Workshop Photo Oscar Bos

As part of the biogeographical process a marine Natura 2000 networking meeting was

held on 11th September 2019 during the International Council for the Exploration of the

Sea (ICES) Annual Science Conference in Gothenburg The meeting was attended by

about 30 people ranging from scientists to marine managers mostly based in Europe

After a general presentation on the Natura 2000 network relation between ICES and

Natura 2000 and biogeographical process everyone was asked to take part in multiple

rounds of short lsquospeed datingrsquo sessions to become acquainted and take turns to discuss

their Natura 2000 issues Next the participants formed three groups to create project

proposals on three topics related to Natura 2000 improving fishing net selectivity

improving understanding of less-studied fishing gears and future monitoring techniques

The groups each had to pitch a project with an imaginary budget of euro2 million and the

winner would be selected by a judge from ICES

After a brainstorming session the groups presented their ideas

Group 1 proposed to commercialise existing technical solutions for reducing

bycatch This should be done by fishermen who know how to scale up innovations and to

increase the uptake of existing ideas and techniques

Group 2 proposed to organise a competition across Europe in which participants

had to prove that their fishing gear does not harm protected species and habitats in

Natura 2000 sites The winner would be co-financed to develop their net gear further

Group 3 proposed to develop an integrated monitoring technique using (e)DNA

video and acoustics in their project lsquoDEVIATErsquo (DNA+Video+Acoustic Techniques) The

combined technique would be tested in contrasting habitat types (mud reefs) to come

up with a comprehensive and affordable method that can be applied in any habitat type

in Europe

The judge congratulated each group on their imagination and innovative ideas but had

reservations about the feasibility of some of the proposals Finally he announced group

two as the winners based on the potential impact for improved fishing gear

Participant feedback from the session indicated that they had learned about Natura

2000 the importance of communication enjoyed the set-up of the meeting and had

made new contacts

HELCOM MPA Managers Workshop 9-11 September 2019 Waumlstinn

Finland

Participants at the HELCOM workshop Photo Paul Goriup

The second Baltic marine protected areas managersrsquo network workshop which was

supported by the biogeographical process followed on from an initial workshop arranged

by HELCOM in Sweden in September 2018 It constituted the first official meeting of the

network which is intended to function as a permanent forum for exchanging experiences

and serve as a hub for new initiatives and consortia for project work across borders

The focus of the meeting was to explore the main challenges of stakeholder interaction in

terms of communication engagement and achieving common goals It was convened by

Jannica Haldin and Laura Hoikkala of the HELCOM secretariat and hosted by

Metsaumlhallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland in the beautiful location of Waumlstinn There were

18 governmental and NGO participants from Denmark Germany Estonia Poland

Russian Federation Sweden and Finland The working sessions (some of which could be

held outside thanks to exceptionally lovely weather) were facilitated by Sara Estlander

(Co-op Bionautit) and Tua Herrgaringrd (WasaTalent) who gave an inspirational

presentation on communication skills

In addition to the group sessions the workshop featured a boat trip around the

spectacular Kvarken archipelago This area is a designated HELCOM MPA and Natura

2000 site (Merenkurkun saaristo FI0800130) formed from low-lying post-glacial

moraines and known for its high concentration of breeding seabirds The participants

also landed on Mickelsoumlrama islet nature reserve Here in a former coast guard watch

tower Anette Baumlck and Mikael Nordstoumlm (Metsaumlhallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland)

discussed their experiences of working with the local stakeholders and practical

management challenges of the area (fishing recreation and hunting are the main

pressures) The winding trails around the tiny islet allowed everyone to explore and

converse One particularly interesting feature was a fishermans camp from the mid-

1500s - boulders piled up in semicircles to make huts and lanes cleared to draw up

boats The huts had originally been situated near the shore but thanks to five centuries

of isostatic land rise they were now some 5m higher than sea level Three white-tailed

sea eagles perched on nearby rocks adding to the sense of wildness

The formal result of the workshop was a list of key issues on stakeholder interaction to

be covered in a forthcoming revision of the HELCOM MPA management manual

However just as valuable was the informal sharing of information and stories as well as

the development of new professional relationships among the participants

Conservation of Atlantic Calcareous Grasslands protected under the

Habitats Directive 18-20 September 2019 Rouen France

Participants at the networking event on the conservation of Atlantic calcareous

grasslands reviewed the threats and opportunities for grassland management in the

Atlantic region Land abandonment fragmentation and in some areas past or ongoing

intensification of agricultural management were identified as the main threats

The main message workshop participants underlined is that further abandonment of

calcareous grasslands has to be avoided The best mechanisms for this are ensuring

targeted agri-environmental programmes co-financed by the CAP are designed for

farmers alongside developing new socio-economic uses of these grasslands

Valuable calcareous grasslands along the Seine Photo Irene Bouwma

Various examples of programmes often co-financed from the EU in France UK and

Belgium were presented to show how land abandonment can be avoided or recently

abandoned land can be restored Using an inventory of existing grasslands and their

state combined with modelling of options to reduce fragmentation can play an

important role for identifying where restoration actions will be most effective Restoration

projects from the Netherlands demonstrated the beneficial effects of sod-cutting on lands

that were intensively managed in the past Thus taking account of the social and

economic benefits of grasslands also strengthens their protection

Presentations from the workshop can be found here

HELCOM MPA Managers Workshop 9-11 September 2019 Waumlstinn

Finland

Participants at the HELCOM workshop Photo Paul Goriup

The second Baltic marine protected areas managersrsquo network workshop which was

supported by the biogeographical process followed on from an initial workshop arranged

by HELCOM in Sweden in September 2018 It constituted the first official meeting of the

network which is intended to function as a permanent forum for exchanging experiences

and serve as a hub for new initiatives and consortia for project work across borders

The focus of the meeting was to explore the main challenges of stakeholder interaction in

terms of communication engagement and achieving common goals It was convened by

Jannica Haldin and Laura Hoikkala of the HELCOM secretariat and hosted by

Metsaumlhallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland in the beautiful location of Waumlstinn There were

18 governmental and NGO participants from Denmark Germany Estonia Poland

Russian Federation Sweden and Finland The working sessions (some of which could be

held outside thanks to exceptionally lovely weather) were facilitated by Sara Estlander

(Co-op Bionautit) and Tua Herrgaringrd (WasaTalent) who gave an inspirational

presentation on communication skills

In addition to the group sessions the workshop featured a boat trip around the

spectacular Kvarken archipelago This area is a designated HELCOM MPA and Natura

2000 site (Merenkurkun saaristo FI0800130) formed from low-lying post-glacial

moraines and known for its high concentration of breeding seabirds The participants

also landed on Mickelsoumlrama islet nature reserve Here in a former coast guard watch

tower Anette Baumlck and Mikael Nordstoumlm (Metsaumlhallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland)

discussed their experiences of working with the local stakeholders and practical

management challenges of the area (fishing recreation and hunting are the main

pressures) The winding trails around the tiny islet allowed everyone to explore and

converse One particularly interesting feature was a fishermans camp from the mid-

1500s - boulders piled up in semicircles to make huts and lanes cleared to draw up

boats The huts had originally been situated near the shore but thanks to five centuries

of isostatic land rise they were now some 5m higher than sea level Three white-tailed

sea eagles perched on nearby rocks adding to the sense of wildness

The formal result of the workshop was a list of key issues on stakeholder interaction to

be covered in a forthcoming revision of the HELCOM MPA management manual

However just as valuable was the informal sharing of information and stories as well as

the development of new professional relationships among the participants

Conservation of Atlantic Calcareous Grasslands protected under the

Habitats Directive 18-20 September 2019 Rouen France

Participants at the networking event on the conservation of Atlantic calcareous

grasslands reviewed the threats and opportunities for grassland management in the

Atlantic region Land abandonment fragmentation and in some areas past or ongoing

intensification of agricultural management were identified as the main threats

The main message workshop participants underlined is that further abandonment of

calcareous grasslands has to be avoided The best mechanisms for this are ensuring

targeted agri-environmental programmes co-financed by the CAP are designed for

farmers alongside developing new socio-economic uses of these grasslands

Valuable calcareous grasslands along the Seine Photo Irene Bouwma

Various examples of programmes often co-financed from the EU in France UK and

Belgium were presented to show how land abandonment can be avoided or recently

abandoned land can be restored Using an inventory of existing grasslands and their

state combined with modelling of options to reduce fragmentation can play an

important role for identifying where restoration actions will be most effective Restoration

projects from the Netherlands demonstrated the beneficial effects of sod-cutting on lands

that were intensively managed in the past Thus taking account of the social and

economic benefits of grasslands also strengthens their protection

Presentations from the workshop can be found here

In addition to the group sessions the workshop featured a boat trip around the

spectacular Kvarken archipelago This area is a designated HELCOM MPA and Natura

2000 site (Merenkurkun saaristo FI0800130) formed from low-lying post-glacial

moraines and known for its high concentration of breeding seabirds The participants

also landed on Mickelsoumlrama islet nature reserve Here in a former coast guard watch

tower Anette Baumlck and Mikael Nordstoumlm (Metsaumlhallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland)

discussed their experiences of working with the local stakeholders and practical

management challenges of the area (fishing recreation and hunting are the main

pressures) The winding trails around the tiny islet allowed everyone to explore and

converse One particularly interesting feature was a fishermans camp from the mid-

1500s - boulders piled up in semicircles to make huts and lanes cleared to draw up

boats The huts had originally been situated near the shore but thanks to five centuries

of isostatic land rise they were now some 5m higher than sea level Three white-tailed

sea eagles perched on nearby rocks adding to the sense of wildness

The formal result of the workshop was a list of key issues on stakeholder interaction to

be covered in a forthcoming revision of the HELCOM MPA management manual

However just as valuable was the informal sharing of information and stories as well as

the development of new professional relationships among the participants

Conservation of Atlantic Calcareous Grasslands protected under the

Habitats Directive 18-20 September 2019 Rouen France

Participants at the networking event on the conservation of Atlantic calcareous

grasslands reviewed the threats and opportunities for grassland management in the

Atlantic region Land abandonment fragmentation and in some areas past or ongoing

intensification of agricultural management were identified as the main threats

The main message workshop participants underlined is that further abandonment of

calcareous grasslands has to be avoided The best mechanisms for this are ensuring

targeted agri-environmental programmes co-financed by the CAP are designed for

farmers alongside developing new socio-economic uses of these grasslands

Valuable calcareous grasslands along the Seine Photo Irene Bouwma

Various examples of programmes often co-financed from the EU in France UK and

Belgium were presented to show how land abandonment can be avoided or recently

abandoned land can be restored Using an inventory of existing grasslands and their

state combined with modelling of options to reduce fragmentation can play an

important role for identifying where restoration actions will be most effective Restoration

projects from the Netherlands demonstrated the beneficial effects of sod-cutting on lands

that were intensively managed in the past Thus taking account of the social and

economic benefits of grasslands also strengthens their protection

Presentations from the workshop can be found here

Valuable calcareous grasslands along the Seine Photo Irene Bouwma

Various examples of programmes often co-financed from the EU in France UK and

Belgium were presented to show how land abandonment can be avoided or recently

abandoned land can be restored Using an inventory of existing grasslands and their

state combined with modelling of options to reduce fragmentation can play an

important role for identifying where restoration actions will be most effective Restoration

projects from the Netherlands demonstrated the beneficial effects of sod-cutting on lands

that were intensively managed in the past Thus taking account of the social and

economic benefits of grasslands also strengthens their protection

Presentations from the workshop can be found here

Workshop on a European training system for forest management in

the Natura 2000 network 12 November 2019 Palermo Italy

Discussing the strategy for a future joint proposal Photo Theo van der Sluis

The LIFE+ GoProFor project organised this event The aim was to discuss with potential

partners a follow-up project for training of foresters with a focus on forest management

in and around Natura 2000 sites The workshop was very well attended with around 35

participants Angelo Salsi Head of the LIFE Nature unit and Luisa Samarelli from the

DG-Environment Nature Protection Unit participated in the event and Theo van der Sluis

facilitated it in the frame of the support contract for the Natura 2000 biogeographical

process

Short presentations from 10 countries showed how forest management is diverse and

how different the training provided (if any) is in each country The workshop explored in

small groups what the knowledge gaps are for foresters what (soft) skills might be

required and what tools can be useful for them There were lively interactions among

the participants who were all very much engaged in the topic In the final session

options for the development of a specific training programme were discussed Angelo

Salsi and Luisa Samarelli pointed out the potential for a traditional LIFE or preparatory

project It was concluded that a lsquoEuropean schoolrsquo for conservation managers and

foresters in Natura 2000 areas would be the aim of such a project The organisers are

now considering their strategy for a future proposal and many participants expressed

their readiness to join in The workshop report can be found here

Anchors Away - Mitigating the impact of anchoring on Posidonia

beds 21-22 November 2019 Athens Greece

Posidonia workshop participants at Villa Kazouli home of the Green Fund Photo Kristina Wood

Over 50 participants attended the lsquoAnchors Awayrsquo workshop which took place in Kifissia

Greece Organised by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research the Greek Ministry of

Environment and Energy and the European Commission this workshop brought together

marine conservationists from around Europe to discuss methods of mitigating direct

anthropogenic impacts on Posidonia seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean The

workshop was opened by Maria Salomidi (HCMR) Anastasios Drakos from the Green

Fund (which hosted the meeting) and Fotios Papoulias of the European Commission

Day one of the workshop focused on assessing the impact of anchoring on Posidonia

beds and the methodologies schemes and tools available Discussions also considered

best practices across the Mediterranean Natura 2000 sites ndash looking at legal mitigation

communication enforcement and monitoring issues Following the presentations

participants were split into four workgroups and tasked with finding solutions to

questions relating to the session topics The discussions elicited many useful points and

proposals for future actions

Workgroup discussions Photo Kristina Wood

On the second day workshop participants were invited to the Hellenic Naval Base

Commander Tripontikas explained how the navy seeks to reduce their negative impact

on the marine environment whilst maintaining high levels of operational standards

Following the presentation attendees were given a fascinating tour of the recently

commissioned submarine Katsonis In addition to their normal duties the crew of the

submarine also record sea mammals they encounter

Later in the afternoon the participants returned to the Villa for a final round of

presentations and a second set of group discussions on key issues raised during the

day

Finally the main solutions suggested by participants to eight key questions were voted

on by participants in terms of their importance resulting in concrete priority ideas for

action All of these will inform the development of an updated roadmap regarding

Posidonia protection in the Mediterranean

The 13 presentations made at the workshop are available here and the meeting report

will shortly be available on the same site

Workgroup discussions Photo Kristina Wood

On the second day workshop participants were invited to the Hellenic Naval Base

Commander Tripontikas explained how the navy seeks to reduce their negative impact

on the marine environment whilst maintaining high levels of operational standards

Following the presentation attendees were given a fascinating tour of the recently

commissioned submarine Katsonis In addition to their normal duties the crew of the

submarine also record sea mammals they encounter

Later in the afternoon the participants returned to the Villa for a final round of

presentations and a second set of group discussions on key issues raised during the

day

Finally the main solutions suggested by participants to eight key questions were voted

on by participants in terms of their importance resulting in concrete priority ideas for

action All of these will inform the development of an updated roadmap regarding

Posidonia protection in the Mediterranean

The 13 presentations made at the workshop are available here and the meeting report

will shortly be available on the same site

Top

MEASURES Saving the Danubes Sturgeons

Sterlet Acipenser ruthenus Photo Hans Braxmeier (Pixabay)

MEASURES stands for Managing and restoring aquatic ecological corridors for migratory

fish species in the Danube River Basin This project is led by the University of Natural

Resources and Life Sciences of Vienna Austria in partnership with many other

institutions from across 10 countries The project was launched in 2018 and will end in

May 2021 with the main aim to foster the restoration and management of river

corridors It will achieve this by identifying key habitats and initiating protection

measures along the Danube

Sturgeons together with migratory fish are a flagship species for the MEASURES

project Indeed they are useful indicators of the ecological status of the Danube

especially when considering the rivers function as an ecological corridor A combination

of extensive damming pollution and illegal fishing has posed serious challenges for the

Danubersquos flora and fauna in particular to sturgeons These 250 million-year-old fish are

one of the most endangered species on the planet according to the International Union

for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and it is urgently required that their key habitats are

identified so that their protection and restoration benefits the conservation of sturgeons

and we manage to prevent the species extinction in the short term

MEASURES has several objectives

To develop a methodology with which to support the identification and mapping of key

habitats of sturgeon

The development of a strategy for restoring green corridors

The restocking of two native species in Hungary and Romania

The elaboration of a manual for the operation of rearing facilities

The implementation of the MEASURES information system to facilitate the access of

experts decision-makers and the public to available information

In 2019 project partners in Hungary began work to build a sturgeon hatchery whilst also

undertaking two pilot restocking actions Thus 5000 sterlets fitted with yellow identifier

tags have been released into the Danube From April 2020 the released populationrsquos

growth rates and travel routes will be assessed The knowledge gathered during this

project will help benefit the understanding of habitats and genetics of migratory species

and will be made widely available

All information collected from the MEASURES project will be input into the MEASURES

information system A basin-wide map demonstrating discrepancies between the species

requirements and habitat protection future restoration or river engineering measures

will be constructed Following this a basin-wide strategy can be developed listing

specific roadmaps and actions for implementation A rsquolessons learntrsquo manual will also be

published and available for stakeholders who may be facing similar challenges in areas

outside of the project scope Moreover project activities will be discussed and presented

at multiple national workshops to encourage harmonised policies at an international

level

Hatchery for Danube sturgeons Photo MEASURES

Reaching the objectives aimed to by MEASURES will also contribute to the achieving

results under the Pan European Action Plan for Sturgeons adopted by the Bern

Convention in November 2018 and endorsed by the Commission and EU Member States

representatives in the Nature Directives Expert Group last May This plan makes it clear

that saving these species from extinction is really a cross-sectoral and trans-national

issue it requires that transboundary networks of people work together to overcome

complex problems which are no other than the challenges we have to take up if we are

to succeed in meeting our environmental and transitional targets

Further information about this project is available here

at multiple national workshops to encourage harmonised policies at an international

level

Hatchery for Danube sturgeons Photo MEASURES

Reaching the objectives aimed to by MEASURES will also contribute to the achieving

results under the Pan European Action Plan for Sturgeons adopted by the Bern

Convention in November 2018 and endorsed by the Commission and EU Member States

representatives in the Nature Directives Expert Group last May This plan makes it clear

that saving these species from extinction is really a cross-sectoral and trans-national

issue it requires that transboundary networks of people work together to overcome

complex problems which are no other than the challenges we have to take up if we are

to succeed in meeting our environmental and transitional targets

Further information about this project is available here

What is your role as a professional secretary in the HELCOM secretariat

I work with questions related to nature conservation

biodiversity climate change environmental monitoring and

assessment and the process to reach a good environmental

status of the Baltic Sea As HELCOM Professional Secretary

Irsquom responsible for the overall coordination implementation and development of the

Baltic Sea regional work when it comes to these topics

What is your view about the status and condition of MPAs in the Baltic Sea

The countries around the Baltic Sea have shown a high ambition level when it comes to

MPAs and the region has a fairly high spatial coverage Already back in 2010 it was the

first region in the world to achieve a 10 spatial coverage of MPAs set by the UN CBD

and following this achievement the countries agreed to increase the ambition to 10 per

sub-basin That said the sites are not always optimally planned (due to lack of data on

the underwater environment) The level of actual protection varies across the region and

there are still a large number of MPAs that have no direct management Where measures

are in place they are not always aligned with the needs of the underwater environment

It has also proven challenging to estimate the positive effect of the existing

management

However despite these obstacles Irsquom generally optimistic as regards the future of the

Baltic Sea MPA network The people working with these issues across the region show

both dedication and skill as well as a willingness to find constructive solutions I also see

a clear shift towards a more holistic network (rather than single MPA) approach taking

place

What role do you foresee for the MPA managers network as it gains momentum

One of the things that has become apparent through the two recent regional MPA

management workshops (see report above) is that managers face several complex

challenges and barriers in the course of their work ones which are not easily overcome

Conservation management is a field where trial and error especially the latter can have

long lasting detrimental effects (think eg stakeholder interaction) yet this is often the

only available option This together with limited capacity building results in managers

often feeling left to their own devices and isolated in their work

However through the work of the network it has become clear that whilst there are a

number of challenges related to management these challenges are often similar both

across areas and across borders Regionally pooling experience and knowledge gained

through hands on management work has shown that solutions and alternative ways of

tackling these challenges are out there and shown the managers that they are not alone

There is the saying ldquoIt takes a village to raise a childrdquo well I believe it also takes a

community to manage an MPA network So my hope is that the MPA managers network

will continue to develop and expand to become an active community for sharing

experiences finding support and learning from each other and that it ultimately

contributes to the cohesion of our shared conservation efforts in the region

What is your favourite Baltic MPA and why

It happens to be the Quark the location of the latest MPA management workshop It was

on the islands and skerries in the outer belt of the archipelago I spent every summer

growing up (and still visit) so for me personally it is a special place In many ways that

area has been intrinsically formative for me It shaped my relationship and my

commitment to the sea which in turn has shaped my entire life not least through my

work

Top

What role do you foresee for the MPA managers network as it gains momentum

One of the things that has become apparent through the two recent regional MPA

management workshops (see report above) is that managers face several complex

challenges and barriers in the course of their work ones which are not easily overcome

Conservation management is a field where trial and error especially the latter can have

long lasting detrimental effects (think eg stakeholder interaction) yet this is often the

only available option This together with limited capacity building results in managers

often feeling left to their own devices and isolated in their work

However through the work of the network it has become clear that whilst there are a

number of challenges related to management these challenges are often similar both

across areas and across borders Regionally pooling experience and knowledge gained

through hands on management work has shown that solutions and alternative ways of

tackling these challenges are out there and shown the managers that they are not alone

There is the saying ldquoIt takes a village to raise a childrdquo well I believe it also takes a

community to manage an MPA network So my hope is that the MPA managers network

will continue to develop and expand to become an active community for sharing

experiences finding support and learning from each other and that it ultimately

contributes to the cohesion of our shared conservation efforts in the region

What is your favourite Baltic MPA and why

It happens to be the Quark the location of the latest MPA management workshop It was

on the islands and skerries in the outer belt of the archipelago I spent every summer

growing up (and still visit) so for me personally it is a special place In many ways that

area has been intrinsically formative for me It shaped my relationship and my

commitment to the sea which in turn has shaped my entire life not least through my

work

Top

Natura 2000 Awards public vote will be open in March and April

2020 Get the recognition you deserve

The deadline for submitting applications to the European Commissionrsquos Natura 2000

Award has now passed The 85 applications received are distributed among the 5

categories as follows

Conservation ndash 42

Communication ndash 15

Reconciling interests perceptions ndash 11

Socio-economic benefits ndash 10

Cross-border cooperation and networking ndash 7

In addition an ldquoEU Citizensrsquo Awardrdquo will go to the application receiving the highest

number of votes from EU citizens in the course of March-April 2020

You can already discover all eligible applications online and we rely on the network of

people working on Natura 2000 to actively spread the word and promote the applications

so that excellence in management of Natura 2000 is recognised

The winners will be announced by Virginijus Sinkevičius Commissioner for Environment

Oceans and Fisheries at a high level ceremony in Brussels on the occasion of the

European Natura 2000 Day

You can find more information here

Photo challenge ASAP Click aliens in the City deadline 31st

December 2019

A few days are left to submit photographs to the second edition of the photo contest

Click aliens in the city which was launched by the LIFE ASAP project The project co-

funded by the EU aims to disseminate accurate information on invasive alien plant and

animal species established in Italy The best 20 photographs selected by the jury will be

printed and displayed in an exhibition as well as published on the project website and a

Facebook gallery dedicated to the contest Runner-up prizes are also available The

deadline for uploading images is 31st December 2019 and the winning photos will be

chosen by 1st February 2020

Learn more about the LIFE ASAP project here and find more contest information and

participation forms (in Italian) here

Overview of OPERAs project published

OPERAs was a five year European research project running from 2012-2017 that aimed

to put cutting edge ecosystem science into practice Researchers and practitioners from

27 different organisations helped stakeholders to apply the ecosystem services and

natural capital concept into practice An open access review article of the main messages

from the project has just been published and can be found here The article contains

useful links to a wide range of sources and practical tools relevant for Natura 2000

managers

Top

Red list of European Trees published by

IUCN

This publication summarises the results of assessments

for all Europersquos native 454 tree species of which 252 are

endemic to the 28 EU Member States In all 168 species

are threatened with extinction at the European level The

main threats to trees in Europe were identified as

invasive or problematic species deforestation and wood

harvesting and urban development For threatened species livestock farming land

abandonment changes in forest and woodland management and other ecosystem

modifications such as fire are the major impacts affecting their survival The publication

can be found here

READY STEADY GREEN

A new publication by the European Commission presents

projects in agriculture and forestry funded by the EU

LIFE programme that help to mitigate climate change

Within the LIFE programme the EU is supporting a broad

range of adaptation measures to help farmers and

foresters adopt climate-smart production methods

Download the report here

Top

Biogeographical Process on Twitter

Visit our Biogeographical Process Twitter account for the latest updates on seminars and

networking events as well as live postings from ongoing meetings We also cover news from

related projects such as LIFE+ projects or the work of organisations working towards Natura

2000 objectives

Follow us on Twitter

Disclaimer

This newsletter is financially supported by the European Commission The Natura 2000

Biographical Process Consortium is solely responsible for the content Content does not

represent the opinion of the European Commission nor is the European Commission

responsible for any use that might be made of information appearing herein