Eurosite Natura 2000 monitoring workshop Litomerice - April 2017

1. Eurosite Natura 2000 monitoring workshop Litomerice - April 2017 Condition indicators

2. A basic model for integrating conservation management and monitoring Favourable condition Unfavourable condition Favourable condition Condition Upper limit Recovery target Lower limit Maintained Maintained Recovered Favourable Time Unfavourable

3. There are two discrete phases to the model 1) When the condition/status of the habitat or species is favourable Condition Upper limit Lower limit Time Favourable

4. The other phase..... 2) When the condition/status of the habitat or species is unfavourable Condition Recovery target Time Favourable Unfavourable

5. The sequence and integration of conservation management and monitoring Develop condition indicators Maintenance Next cycle Management Yes Monitor against Above lower limit? Restoration lower limit Management No Successful Above Yes Monitor against recovery recovery target target? No Confidence Restoration in Restoration Yes Management Management? No Experiments in Restoration Management Set recovery target

6. Although the model is basic, applying it involves several difficult decisions: • How to apply Favourable Reference Values at the individual site level? Each site will have a different potential to support the key habitats and species, so how should each site contribute towards a national Favourable Reference Value? • How to select the condition indicators for monitoring? We have neither the time nor expertise to monitor everything • How to carry out the most appropriate management to restore a habitat or species? Many of the cultural habitats that we now value have not been created or maintained by conservationists. • How to fund the management? And how to decide which sites, habitats and species are the priorities for funding?

7. What are Condition Indicators - and why are they important? • ‘Condition indicators’ describe the evidence that we collect to give us confidence that we are achieving the aims stated in the Conservation Objective • They combine upper and lower limits (or restoration targets) with concise definitions of habitat condition • They are important because they allow us to develop efficient and reliable monitoring methods that will directly inform site management In effect, condition indicators are a form of ecological shorthand for defining habitat condition

8. Condition indicators for the humid dune slack habitat at Kenfig

9. The restoration target for the humid dune slack habitat at Kenfig SAC >40% of the dune slack habitat is successionally-young and > 80% is either successionally-young or orchid-rich

10. Another question to consider during the decision making process: can a habitat realistically achieve FCS if it no longer supports the animals that should be present?

11. Condition Indicator guidance The delegates suggested that guidance was needed on the following issues: • The role of condition indicators • How and where to find for existing indicators • Selection criteria, e.g. simple / robust but fit for purpose and budget • How key or ‘typical’ (animal or plant) species can be linked to site-specific habitat attributes to define favourable status • How plant and animal species assemblages can be used to form proxy condition indicators • Facilitating communication and collaboration between habitat and species experts • Identifying and defining negative indicators (e.g. invasive species, threats) • Setting measurable limits (quantitative and qualitative) • Options for data collection – i.e. sampling methodologies • Options for QA and validation This guidance should be supported with a range of best practice case studies illustrating condition indicator development

12. The most popular topics for future workshops • The roles of remote sensing and related new technologies in Natura 2000 monitoring • Dealing with habitat mosaics • Statistical approaches to trends detection • Monitoring methods, quality assurance / validation • Harmonising conservation targets across different scales, i.e. Biogeographical zone, Member State, Regional and Natura 2000 site etc. The next Eurosite Natura 2000 monitoring workshop, hosted by Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla in April 2019, will cover: ‘Integrating remote sensing and other new technologies into Natura 2000 monitoring’. Details to be announced on the Eurosite website in due course

13. The roles of remote sensing in Natura 2000 monitoring This workshop will focus on: • What remote sensing products, tools and methods are already available? • When should we consider remote sensing as the best option? Updated CRICK framework? • Moving towards operational systems - dealing with issues associated with repeatability within sites and transferability between sites • New possibilities from the Copernicus project • How to balance producer (Remote Sensor) and user (Ecologist) driven needs? • Where to find best practice examples • Open data/open source software

14. Wider monitoring issues requiring guidance • Parameters for measuring ecological processes • Identifying priorities -> species -> habitats • Statistical guidance for trends detection • Options for Quality Assurance and Validation • Options for scientific review • Data compilation and evaluation • Links to other EU directives • Baseline + adaptive monitoring • Weighing indicators + thresholds There was a strong recommendation from the workshop to create a Natura 2000 monitoring website - where guidance is available on all of the key components needed to deliver the work area

15. Thank you for your attention