1. European Red List of Habitats
The first Red List assessment of all terrestrial, freshwater and benthic marine habitats in the EU28, EU28+ and neighbouring seas
John Janssen
Alterra
(Wageningen Environmental Research)

2. European Red List of Habitats
What it is: purpose and scope
How it was done: logistics & methodology
What it shows: the results of assessment
What it can do: some applications of the work

3. Purpose & scope
To provide a Red List assessment of all natural and semi-natural European habitats
To help inform and underpin the EU2020 Biodiversity Strategy and the commitment to habitat sustainability, recovery and restoration
To complement information reported on Annex 1 habitats of the Habitats Directive
European Red List of Habitats

4. Purpose & scope
Assessment carried out at two levels: EU28 & EU countries (including Switzerland, Iceland, Norway & the Balkan countries)
and Baltic Sea, NE Atlantic, Mediterranean (Northern) & Black Sea
European Red List of Habitats

5. The Habitat Classification used
Following a Feasibility Study, a habitat typology based on the hierarchical EUNIS classification was used, (level 3 for terrestrial and level 4 for marine)
233 terrestrial habitats
257 benthic marine habitats
European Red List of Habitats

6. Assessment Criteria & Categories
Categories and Criteria based on a modified version of the IUCN Red List Categories & Criteria of Ecosystems (2013)
European Red List of Habitats

7. Assessment Criteria & Categories
Categories and Criteria based on a modified version of the IUCN Red List Categories & Criteria of Ecosystems (2013)
European Red List of Habitats

8. Organisation of the project
For each habitat, data were provided by territorial experts in each country or regional sea
and assessments coordinated by habitat/sea groups
Coastal (30 habitats)
Freshwaters (26)
Mires & bogs (13)
Grasslands (53)
Heath & scrub (38)
Forests (42)
Sparsely vegetated (31)
Baltic Sea (61 habitats)
NE Atlantic (86)
Mediterranean (47)
Black Sea (63)
European Red List of Habitats

9. Results for all terrestrial habitats
Overall results reveal 37% habitats threatened (in top 3 threat categories) in EU28, 32% in EU28+
European Red List of Habitats

10. Which terrestrial habitats are most threatened?
The most threatened terrestrial habitats are mires and bogs, grasslands, freshwaters and coastal habitats, in both the EU28 and EU28+
■ Critically
Endangered
■ Endangered
■ Vulnerable
■ Near
Threatened
■ Least Concern
■ Data
Deficient
Mires (13) Grasslands (53) Freshwaters (26) Coastal (30)
84% threatened/54% EU %/49% %/38% %/43%
European Red List of Habitats

11. Pressures & threats for terrestrial habitats
Many different pressures threaten terrestrial & freshwater habitats
and their impacts vary in different habitats
(Threat typology from Article 17)
European Red List of Habitats

12. Results for all marine habitats
Overall, 19% of marine habitats are threatened (in top 3 threat categories) in EU28, 18% in EU28+
European Red List of Habitats

13. Different seas show different levels of threat
■ Critically
Endangered
■ Endangered
■ Vulnerable
■ Near Threatened
■ Least Concern
■ Data deficient
Mediterranean (47) NE Atlantic (86) Black Sea (63) Baltic (61)
32% threatened/ %/23% %/10% %/8%
30% EU28+
European Red List of Habitats

14. Pressures & threats for marine habitats
Main pressures on marine habitats are common across the regional seas
European Red List of Habitats

15. Pressures & threats for marine habitats
Main pressures on marine habitats are common across the regional seas
but the impacts of the threats vary with different depths
eg for the NE Atlantic
European Red List of Habitats

16. Outputs of the Red List
Terrestrial & marine publications (hard copy & pdfs), flyers & poster
Assessment factsheets for habitats (pdfs & database)
Overall Red List assessment
Habitat description
Images
Distribution maps
Links to other classifications
Occurrences & trends in range
Pressures & threats
Restoration potential
Territorial data (Excel)
European Red List of Habitats

17. Applications of the Red List
To help visualise the impact of particular threats, the Red List can:
indicate which habitats are most urgently threatened by a particular pressure
provide distribution maps of the habitats
provide background data on extent and condition in each country
Eg. Traditionally managed wet meadows threatened by agricultural improvement and hydrological change T
European Red List of Habitats

18. Applications of the Red List
To help meet restoration goals under Target 2 in the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy, the Red List can:
indicate which habitats most urgently need restoration
highlight which threats must be alleviated
estimate time frame for restoration
list indicators of recovery
Eg. Traditionally-grown arable crops with rich and colourful annuals assessed as Endangered across Europe as a whole.
European Red List of Habitats

19. Applications of the Red List
To help steer research and monitoring in support of habitat conservation, the Red List can:
indicate habitats where there
are insufficient data to
determine conservation status
reveal widespread & common
threats which if addressed
would benefit many habitats
prioritise habitats most in need
of monitoring the impact
of threats
Eg. invertebrate-dominated Pontic circalittoral rock is one of 83% Data Deficient Black Sea benthic habitats .
European Red List of Habitats

20. Applications of the Red List
Habitat code & name
Relation to Annex 1
& other legal frames
Text descriptor
Full text description
Constant plant species
Preferential plant species
Dominant plant species
EuroVegChecklist alliances Image
Synonymy with other typologies
Overall Distribution Map
Map of point-source relevé data
Map of potential distribution
EOO & AOO
Extent by country
Biogeographic zone(s)
Necessary biotic interventions
Pressures and threats
Restorability
Red List category & critical criteria
Applications of the Red List
Convergence with EEA EUNIS revision programme to deliver standardised habitat profiles
Red indicates Red List source
Green indicates EUNIS Revision source
European Red List of Habitats

21. Applications of the Red List
Comparison with Annex I conservation status (186 terrestrial relations)
European Red List of Habitats

22. Applications of the Red List
Although different definitions, concepts and criteria...
40% similar results (threatened vs U1, U2 or not threatened vs FV)
29% CS “more severe” (not threatened vs U1, U2)
1% (2 cases) RL result “more severe” (criterion B, restricted geographic distribution)
28% Red List type not represented well by any Annex I type  threatened ones relevant
3 Annex I types not well related to RL types (landscape level); 1610, 1620, 3210
European Red List of Habitats

23. Applications of the Red List
Important gaps in Annex I list (terrestrial)...
European Red List of Habitats

24. Thank you for your interest in the state of European habitats
For further information about the European Red List of Habitats in the two publications on terrestrial and marine habitats, go to:
European Red List of Habitats