Management of Natura 2000 Expert group – 07.05.2014 Conservation measures Difficulties linked to species imbalance

EU wide umbrella organization of rural businesses Daily management (agriculture; forestry; gardens; recreational activities) in and outside Natura 2000 Development of specific initiatives and projects such as: Communicating Natura 2000; Natura Networking Program (with Eurosite) Wildlife Estate Label (1M hectares of labeled estates) Pollinators network initiative (16 countries) Life + project 3WatEr (Belgium, Midden Limburg) Studies: wild boar demographic explosion; small game decrease in plains

Conservation objectives to reach, and measures to be implemented Focus on environmental and economic objectives + measures Management of habitats, specific focus on access to shelter and food (specific measures put in place) Identification of a clear need to properly manage species imbalance and IAS (notably in water)

Experiences – Network feedback on management of estates Q1: Do you face difficulties of management due to species imbalance? Q2: Do you have the proper means to efficiently or effectively answer  the problem? Q3: Do you face difficulties with administration or other stakeholders? Q4: Do you face similar problems outside Natura 2000 areas? Q5: Which modification of your local system would you suggest?

Experiences – Network feedback on management of estates Q1: Do you face difficulties of management due to species imbalance? YES regular hunting is in N2000 areas by law prohibited; only in case of (the risk of) sever and demonstrable damage permits are granted to take specific management actions (NL) on cormorants notably and fishing birds also eating amphibians imbalance of predator species and invasive alien species. Q2: Do you have the proper means to efficiently or effectively answer  the problem? In practice NO In principle yes, in practice not! Like mentioned above a well-motivated plan is necessary before a permit is granted. Such plans need to describe in detail (and based on hard evidence/science) the problem and risks concerned, the proposed measures, the influence/effects of these measures for the N2000 site and its qualifying species, and so on not legally, situation different in the various MS (or regions) The difficulties are lack of control by adjoining landowners, and the difficulties in controlling alien aquatic species

Experiences – Network feedback on management of estates Q3: Do you face difficulties with administration or other stakeholders? YES Too restrictive (legislation/administration) Difficult and burdensome licensing procedures Problem with requiring license for specific measures on marginal aquatic plants. Control is only practicable when water levels are low, license procedure much too slow Q4: Do you face similar problems outside Natura 2000 areas? Measures taken outside the N2000 sites which can be of a negative influence for the species inside the N2000 site are dealing with the same bureaucracy Reservoir ; pb of coherence Specific species ex: ponticum rhododendron on mountain areas; IAS Q5: Which modification of your local system would you suggest? Flexibility + monitoring afterwards (ex: more flexibility for stakeholders to take action on cormorants maybe for a few years and then monitored afterwards; cormorants not a problem every year Credible / efficient solutions More coordination + quicker responses

Summary Tools exist to control the development of species, not everywhere (MS, Regions) In practice measures, implemented by trained staff, have a positive impact and could still be improved Need for a agreement between stakeholders in order to reach the environmental and economical objectives In projects such as LIFE+ the question is adressed and integrated in the contract/DoW, even if the modus operandi is incomplete

Which advise would you provide to private/public managers? If objective is the increase of targeted population, which measures would you advise to effectively reach the goal? In LIFE+ some measures are foreseen but limited (ex: islands for birds nesting on the ground) Other approaches? Proposition to strictly control predation during a specific period of time in the Natura 2000 area and surroundings to enable the development of the targeted species + monitoring and adaptation depending of the species evolution Ownership of the process by all the stakeholders ….. Ideas???

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