1. New Biogeographic Process Natura 2000 seminars
Focus on improving the management of Natura 2000 sites
Overall goal is achievement of FCS of selected habitats and species (linked to the 2020 strategy)
Based on voluntary cooperation
Not an instrument to assess progress of MS
Natura 2000 Seminars

2. Plus points (1)
No additional burden on Member States for information gathering (reference Article 17)
Cooperation & Knowledge management process - not an additional reporting process
Knowledge from experts put forward by MS but also NGOs, expert groups and other habitat/species experts (thus need not be a major burden on MS experts).
Mechanism for achieving 2020 target, including Identification of barriers and bottlenecks that hamper habitat management and shared formulation of practical management solutions and effective policy recommendations
Natura 2000 Seminars 2

3. Plus points (2)
Coordination and facilitation of cross boundary and in-country projects (LIFE nature and other projects)
Creation of networks of experts and practitioners
Communication platform and free access to relevant data and information
Pooling and dissemination of habitat management expertise
Exploration of opportunities (e.g. for cross-border cooperation)
Etc…
Natura 2000 Seminars 3

4. Process: Boreal
Natura 2000 Seminars
Atlantic Biogeographic Region 4

5. Process: Atlantic
Natura 2000 Seminars
Atlantic Biogeographic Region 5

6. Key points in process (Boreal)
Background document (knowledge)
‘Living document’
Seminar document (focusing discussions)
Where we are in management
Problems/threats
Possible solutions
Possible recommendations / conclusions for management and cooperative actions
Seminar conclusions
To be elaborated and adopted at the Seminar

7. Key points in process (Atlantic)
Selection of Habitats (“Top 20”)
Pre-scoping document (+species)
Background document + habitat information sheet
Preparatory Workshop – specific and cross cutting issues (June 20-21, The Hague, the Netherlands)
Seminar document (to be prepared after workshop)
Seminar (November 2012, The Hague, The Netherlands)
Natura 2000 Seminars

8. Top 20 Habitat types - Atlantic
Based on MS ranking
NGO added for comparison
+NGO = Same list of 20 (different order)
Natura 2000 Seminars 8

9. Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix 7#
N2K code
Habitat name
SUM MS 1
4010
Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix 7 2
91E0
Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) 3
6230
Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas in Continental Europe) 5 4
6410
Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)
2190
Humid dune slacks 6
6510
Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)
7110
Active raised bogs 8
2130
Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation ("grey dunes") 9
6210
Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites) 10
4030
European dry heaths 9

10. Transition mires and quaking bogs 411
7140
Transition mires and quaking bogs 4 12
2120
Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria ("white dunes") 13
3260
Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation 14
1130
Estuaries 15
1330
Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae) 16
3130
Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of the Littorelletea uniflorae and/or of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea 17
3150
Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition - type vegetation 18
3110
Oligotrophic waters containing very few minerals of sandy plains (Littorelletalia uniflorae) 3 19
1310
Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand 20
7230
Alkaline fens 2 10

11. Species
Annex II and IV species and also Annex I breeding bird species.
Species which can be considered clearly associated to the selected habitat types using expert opinion of the ETC/BD.
Natura 2000 Seminars 11

12. Communication Platform
In preparation
Expected to be operational in late 2012