Wildlife Estates Plenary Session Blair Estate / Scotland / Sept. 2010

1. Wildlife Estates Plenary SessionBlair Estate / Scotland / Sept. 2010 From Landscape Knowledge to Landscape Action: Developing Approaches to better involve and engage People with Nature! R. Flies European Commission, DG Environment

2. Natural capital underpins economies, societies, individual wellbeing • Challenge: we are facing degradation/loss of ecosystem goods & services, even though we are major beneficiaries of nature’s multiple and complex values • MS / EU policies on management of natural resources (CAP, cohesion, energy) • Specific tools in EU environmental policy: • EU/MS strategies • NATURA 2000, WFD

3. Specific ENV instruments for better stewardship of our natural capital • Climate change: adaptation, mitigation, bio-energies • Biodiversity Strategy: international dimension, integration, invasive species.. • Water Framework Directive: river basin management plans, good ecological status 2015 • NATURA 2000: network of protected areas based on Birds & Habitat directives; 25 000 sites; 17% of EU territory

4. Natura 2000 Network The largest co-ordinated network of conservation areas in the world • Total : > 25,000 sites • = ~ 17% of EU 27 territory

5. Working in partnershipPeople and nature – not nature without people Living landscapes: Natura 2000 recognises that humans are an integral part of nature; The conservation objectives should be met while taking economic, social, cultural, requirements into account; Natura 2000 supports sustainable development: It sets the parameters by which activities can take place whilst safeguarding Europe’s rich biodiversity

6. First Member State assessments done for 2001-2006 EU composite report (Art.17) or ‘Health Check’ June 09 Monitoring the Impact of the Habitats Directive • Key findings: • Only 17% deemed to be in favourable conservation • Grasslands, wetlands & coastal habitats most under pressure • Habitats associated with agriculture show worse conservation status

7. Future challenges • Finalize establishment of network • Management planning & Integration of other sectors • Monitor the effectiveness of the nature directives • Beyond the network: corridors & stepping stones Governance, Financing and Communication issues

8. Governance: “flexibility, bottom-up approaches”, decision-making processes • Global policy issues must be integrated into EU and national strategies • Final decisions on resource management are taken at local level • Horizontal coordination: stakeholder involvement, public participation • Inter-linkages with other policy areas • Vertical coordination: EU – national – regional – local level

9. Nature conservation: little awareness of economic / social / cultural benefits • Do we use the right figures /arguments to valuate, to show the advantages? • Is it clear, what we are saying to people? Which message to which target audience? • Why are potential allies (land owners) often against? Do we know, which are the real reasons for negative attitudes? • Are we able to explain the “European” perspective?

10. People remember: 30% of what they read 50% of what they see 90% of what they do BUT! only 10% of what they hear

11. Wildlife Estates • A test bed to gauge people’s reactions • Real life examples on what NATURA 2000 means in practice • A wealth of experience on how to communicate • A framework in which interest groups can learn to work together

12. Our countryside: a “green kingdom” Thank you for your attention!