LIFE long learning and nature conservation

Over 200 delegates attended the European Commission’s LIFE Nature thematic conference in November which provided a successful platform for transferring experience in EU nature conservation skills.

During its 16 year lifetime, the European Commission’s LIFE Programme has generated an significant mass of knowledge concerning many different aspects of environmental management activity. This information remains highly relevant as a learning resource for environmental stakeholders throughout the EU and in neighbouring countries. As such, a dedicated conference took place in mid-November to discuss and disseminate the wealth of know-how that exists in LIFE Nature projects.

The LIFE Nature thematic conference covered a wide range of nature conservation issues during its three day programme from November 17 – 19 in Brussels. Delegates from all over Europe attended the event which focused on tools and techniques for implementing the EU birds and habitats directives and the Natura 2000 network.

The programme included plenary sessions examining the past, present and future role of LIFE Nature as a tool for implementing EU nature protection/biodiversity policy. A series of workshops allowed participants to discuss ‘best practice’ approaches to practical and policy based actions targeting forest habitats, marine habitats, river habitats, grassland habitats, climate change and invasive alien species. Other sessions featured LIFE experience in areas such as international cooperation on biodiversity protection and work addressing challenges linked to ensuring a favourable conservation status for Europe’s species.

Good practice projects highlighted during the conference included:

Romania’s LIFE04 NAT/ RO/000225 project that involved an integrated collection of conservation actions to assist habitat restoration work in sub-Mediterranean forests with Pinus Nigra Banatica.

France’s Linda project (LIFE03 NAT/F/000104) where new cooperative approaches were developed to help conserve bottle-nosed dolphins at Saint-Florent, Porto-Galeria and Bouches de Bonifacio by encouraging sustainable fishing and yachting practices.

Sweden’s Kinnekulle project (LIFE02 NAT/S/008484), which included the preparation of grassland management plans tackling the conservation of N2000 habitats and species at southwest Sweden’s Kinnekulle mountain plateau.

The Czech Republic’s MORAVKA project (LIFE06 NAT/CZ/000121), which supported the Morávka river basin’s alluvial forest habitats by suppressing invasive Reynoutria spp. at proposed Sites of Community Importance (pSCI), in Niva Morávky and Beskydy.

Austria’s LIFE Obere Drau II (LIFE06 NAT/A/000127) project on the Drau river, which built on previous LIFE Nature work concerning alpine floodplain habitats and developed cross-boarder strategies to help implement holistic approaches for ecological management of water resources.

Britain’s LIFE06 ENV/UK/000401 project, that contributed to the EU Water Framework Directive objectives by identifying techniques for managing the realignment of flood defences in a bid to tackle ongoing climate change impacts in transitional waters.

The Croatian CROWOLCON project (LIFE02 TCY/CRO/014), where new approaches to complex conservation issues surrounding wolf species were demonstrated in order to help safeguard the future of wolves in Croatia, and within a broader European context.

European Commission organisers of the conference were particularly pleased with the participants’ contributions and the extensive exchange of good practice is anticipated to create long term benefits for EU nature conservation. Closing the conference, Mrs Soledad Blanco, Director of International Affairs and LIFE (DG Environment, European Commission), highlighted some of the key conclusions of the conference, including the need for long-term monitoring of nature conservation projects, the need to better disseminate the lessons of knowledge acquired during LIFE Nature projects and more generally the challenge of reconciling the potential of of short-term projects with long-term conservation challenges.

More information on the conference, including presentations, abstracts, programme and press release is available in the event section.