SI Natura 2000 management Andrej Bibič Project leader Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment Republic of Slovenia

Geographical coverage of the project SPA - 26 sites (22,8 %) pSCI - 260 sites (31,6 %) Total – 231 sites (35,5 %) 22-25% of agricultural land 70% of forests

Project objectives (1) Project objective Prepare and adopt (by the Government) the Natura 2000 Management Programme for Slovenia for the period 2014-2020. Further project objectives: integrate measures/solutions from the Natura 2000 Management programme into operational programmes for drawing EU funds (agricultural, structural and cohesion, fisheries, LIFE); finalise and update PAF; analyse the implementation of measures and achievement of objectives from the Natura 2000 Management Programme 2007-2013 and to use this results in preparation of the new program;

Project objectives (2) Further project objectives (continuation): communicate measures for Natura 2000 to different stakeholders and target groups and raise their awareness of Natura 2000; identify the opportunities of Natura 2000 sites for local and/or regional development, jobs and economic growth; adopt an act (the Natura 2000 Management Programme) harmonized with all competent sectors to properly manage the Natura 2000 sites in the country in the period 2014-20; through direct involvement of main stakeholders contribute to understanding that Natura 2000 is also a good opportunity for sustainable development

Project activit-ies

Organisation Leading partner is Ministry for Agriculture and Environment. Project partners are five public state institutes (agencies), that have according to Slovenian legislation legally the main role in management planning of: conservation of Natura 2000 (Institute for Nature Conservation of Republic of Slovenia), forests and hunting (Slovenian Forestry Service), fisheries (Fisheries Institute of Slovenia), water management (on level of River Basin Plans), and in advising on agriculture (Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry – Agricultural Advisory Service).

Integration of other sectors Next to sectors, integrated already at the level of project partners (forestry, agriculture, water management, fisheries, hunting) there will be stronger cooperation with sectors of tourism, regional development, probably economy (depending on funding possibilities in the new MFF), and science. It is foreseen to adopt the programme by the Government (as it has been the case with the existing Natura 2000 Management Programme 2007-13), so all governmental sectors will be consulted.

Level of details in the planning Conservation objectives for each species /HT set per site on the basis of existing information, and where possible quantified. Foto: L. Božič Example (the existing programme): 20-40 bp at the site Trnovski gozd – J rob Nanosa represents an outstanding population size (2nd best site) – objective (to keep this population) – will be revised. Measure(s) to achieve objectives: address sectoral instruments defined on the basis of conservation objectives finalised in consultations with stakeholders

Level of details in the planning Example of a measure to achieve conservation objectives (Trnovski gozd) for rock partridge: In zone of rock partridge further overgrowing of grasslands is being stopped with restoration of grazing. Appropriate use is to be assured via agri-environment programme, measures for low input grasslands. By 2010 this use is maintained on 370 ha, by 2013 it increases to 400 ha.

Ensuring the implementation of the plan once ready Implementation depends on level of funding for Natura 2000 measures and sustainable development, dependent on Natura 2000. Level of funding for these measures will be known, when EU budget is agreed, and when appropriate funding possibilities for measures are in adopted regulatives for EU funds for new MFF. Habitat Directive Art. 8: “… the Commission shall adopt, having regard to the available sources of funding under the relevant Community instruments …, a prioritized action framework of measures involving co-financing to be taken …” At the moment it seems that appropriate funding possibilities will be less than in this financial perspective. Thus most of the responsibility is thrown back to national authorities, and depends largelly on their success of integration in other sectors.