Nature Directives and wilderness

Zoltan Kun, Chairman, European Wilderness Society

The political context

Natura 2000 covers 1/5 of the land territory and includes areas of highest biodiversity value in the EUThe management and restoration agenda for Natura 2000 is the single most practical and obvious measure towards achieving the 2020 goal

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The political context

The two nature directives (Bird and Habitat) provide the framework for designating and managing N2000 sites but there are several challenges such as

- Interpretation of FCS

- N2000 vs national designation

- Planning and managing ...

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The political context

To ensure significant progress towards the EU 2020Biodiversity Strategy targets, through improved andStrengthened implementation of Natura 2000To advance implementation of Natura 2000 directivesTo strengthen common understanding of the role of the network in achieving favourable conservation status

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Strategic objectives I.

To develop new management insights and help put in place priority management actionsTo establish a framework for networking, sharing information and experience and building knowledge (biogeographical process)

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Strategic objectives II.

To develop cooperation between Member States, stakeholder organisations, environmental NGOs and specialist networksTo strengthen recognition and action on how to manage Natura 2000 in ways that also significantly contributes to socio-economic objectives, through the multiple benefits that derive from such action

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Strategic objectives III.

Strict nature reserve vs. Nationally protected areas vs. Natura 2000Language the meaning of wildernessUnlikely that countries will seek to amend their national protected area legislation to redefine their strictly protected areas as wilderness

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Challenges

Decision needed

If wilderness is to continue to exist in Europe it needs to be defined and given protection on a legal basisWe should speak a common language

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The history

November 2008 over 100 organisations signed a resolution (citizens’ call) on wilderness submitted to the EP3 February 2009 the overwhelming majority of the EP adopted the Resolution on Europe’s Wilderness

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Steps towards improving legal protection I.

EC Presidency conferences:- Prague May 2009 conference on wilderness and wild lands resulting the Agenda for Europe’s Wilderness with 24 recommendations- Brussels November 2010 Restoring the Wild Heart of Europe (EU 2020 Biodiv Strategy)- Westport May 2013 wilderness restoration on modified landscape

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Steps towards improving legal protection II.

EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy includes wilderness linked to forestryEC management guidance recently approvedWilderness register covering the 39 countries (EEA)

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Achievements

Beyond the biodiversity and social arguments, there is a MORAL OBLIGATION as well to protect wilderness for future generations

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WILD10 how far can we go with our vision? Wilderness Convention at COE or....

European Citizens’ Initiative

Achievements

Guidelines on Wilderness in Natura 2000 sitesManagement of terrestrial wilderness and wild areas within the Natura 2000 NetworkLed by AlterraNo examples!

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Wilderness guidance document I.

Downloadable from EC DG Environment website!

Defining wilderness in a European contextA wilderness is an area governed by natural processes. It is composed of native habitats and species, and large enough for the effective ecological functioning of natural processes. It is unmodified or only slightly modified and without intrusive or extractive human activity, settlements, infrastructure or visual disturbance

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Wilderness guidance document II.

Understanding the difference between rewilding (verb, restoration process) and wilderness (noun, status mainly focused on management)!

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Wilderness guidance document III.

Rewilding the hearts and minds of peopleRewilding an area might end up with wilderness

The purpose of this document is to guide the management of those areas in Natura 2000 where the objective of management is to preserve wilderness qualities and consequently the chosen management method is non-intervention or set aside and to present the current knowledge on the benefits of such an objective as well as the consequences...

The document does not suggest more wilderness!

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Wilderness guidance

Chapter 1: review of literature and definition

Chapter 2: EU policy framework

Chapter 3: ecosystem resillience and pressures for wilderness

Chapter 4: best practice examples

Chapter 5: stakeholder involvement

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Wilderness guidance

Bark beetle

Forest fires

Reindeer grazing

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Wilderness guidance

Several best practice examples were submitted andattached to the document

Examples collected from over 1/3 of habitat types

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Wilderness guidance

31% of habitats are forest, but not exclusively!

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Wilderness management can be implemented throughout Europe not only in East or North!

It is bound by and faithful to the EU directives

It is not legislative

It is not promoted specifically

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Wilderness guidance

Combining existing dataNo real field checkFiltering through national contacts Challenge is to get real management information

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Wilderness register

The register will soon be available online!

To turn every single Natura 2000 site into wildernessTo have a new directive

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Not TARGET

The European Wilderness Society works to identify, designates, manages and promotes Europe’s wilderness, the continent’s most undisturbed areas of nature

www.wilderness-society.org