A recent ENRD workshop (28 September 2017 – Brussels, Belgium) explored ways of increasing complementarities between Natura 2000 and the Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) through exchange of experience and good practice examples from across Europe.

The discussions highlighted that RDP Measures linked to Rural Development Priority 4 – ‘Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems’ – can be effectively used for nature conservation purposes. However, adjustments to the RDPs are possible to better address the needs of Natura 2000 sites, especially in relation to forestry.

The event was jointly organised by the ENRD Contact Point and the European Commission’s Directorate-Generals for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and Environment (DG ENV).