This document discusses potential synergies between forestry and Natura2000, the EU network of protected areas. It outlines several pan-European initiatives related to sustainable forest management and EU directives focused on habitat and species conservation. While guidelines have been established, the document notes that wood production remains the main goal of most forest management. Only 4% of European forests are undisturbed by humans. It questions whether efforts so far have put the EU on track to achieve its 2020 Biodiversity Strategy goals for forests and synergies with Natura2000.

1. What are the potential synergies
between
Forestry and Natura2000?
Dr. Peri Kourakli
Forest Task Force Coordinator

2. WHO WE ARE
 Birdlife International is the largest global
partnership of conservation organisations
 We conserve birds, their habitats and global
biodiversity, working with people towards
sustainability in the use of natural resources
 Stichting BirdLife Europe is a partnership of 45
nature conservation organisations with almost
3,000 staff, 1.9 million members and more than
6,000 reserves covering over 300,000 hectares
in Europe, Central Asia and Israel

3. What about forestry and
NATURA2000 forests in the EU?

4. FOREST EUROPE
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe
There are several pan National initiatives
to foster “Sustainable Forest
Management (SFM)”:
46 countries (from EU to Russia)
Define “SFM” (Helsinki 1993)
“General guidelines for SFM” (Helsinki 1993)
“Pan-European Operational Guidelines for SFM”
(Lisbon 1998)
“Improved Pan-European Indicators for SFM”
(Vienna 2002)
Negotiations for a Legally Binding
Agreement/LBA on Forests in Europe (Oslo 2011)

5. CONSERVATION OF WILD BIRDS
DIRECTIVE 2009/147/EC
indicative Article 3
1. …. Member States shall take the requisite
measures to preserve, maintain or re-
establish a sufficient diversity and area of
habitats for all the species of birds....
2. The preservation, maintenance and re-
establishment of biotopes and habitats shall
include primarily the following measures:
…….. (b) upkeep and management in
accordance with the ecological needs of
habitats inside and outside the protected
zones……
5//19

6. HABITAT AND SPECIES
DIRECTIVE 92/43/EC
indicative
Art. 2: “to maintain or restore, at favourable
conservation status, natural habitats and species of wild
fauna and flora of Community interest”
Art. 10: “MS shall endeavour (…) in their land use
planning and development policies (…), with a view to
improving the ecological coherence of the Natura 2000
network , to encourage the management of features of the
landscape of major importance for wild flora and fauna (…)”
Art. 6.1: “establish necessary conservation measures, if
need be management plans – specifically designed or
integrated to other plans – and appropriate (…) measures
corresponding to the ecological requirement of habitats and
species present on the sites”

7. 2020 BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY
Most relevent element
Target 3b: Sustainable Forestry
By 2020, Forest Management Plans or equivalent instruments,
in line with Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), are in place
for all forests that are publicly owned and for forest holdings
above a certain size* that receive funding under the EU Rural
Development Policy so as to bring about a measurable
improvement (*) in the conservation status of species and
habitats that depend on or are affected by forestry and in the
provision of related ecosystem services as compared to the EU
2010 Baseline.
(*) Improvement is to be measured against the quantified enhancement targets for
the conservation status of species and habitats of EU interest in Target 1 and the
restoration of degraded ecosystems under target 2.
(**) For smaller forest holdings, Member States may provide additional incentives
to encourage the adoption of Management Plans or equivalent instruments that
are in line with SFM.

8. Are these applied
by the MS?

9. European Environmental Agency
key findings on forest biodiversity, 2010
 Unsustainable forest management, fragmentation,
airborne pollution and climate change are major threats
to Europe's forest biodiversity
 Interacting pressures on forest ecosystems are increasing,
they threaten species and habitats of European interest
 Old growth forests are the most valuable forest type in
terms of storing biodiversity (including genetic variety)
and carbon but only 4% of Europe’s forests are
undisturbed by humans
 Remaining old-growth forests are being felled

10. MESSAGES FROM
FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Source: ETC/BD,in EEA 2010

11. REGIONAL INDICATORS OF COMMON
FOREST BIRDS IN 4 EUROPEAN REGIONS
West Europe
Forest Birds in EU Central & East Europe
North Europe
South Europe
Trend of species
 increasing 12
 declining 11
 stable 7
 uncertain 3 Source: European Bird Census Council,
www.ebcc.info

12. “On the Way to Recovery“
Birdlife Assessment of the Progress
on the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy
Progress assessment summary:
Wood production is the main goal of forest
management
Forest undisturbed by humans are only 4% in
Europe
Guidelines and monitoring for SFM is lacking

13. Any future messages for
synergies between forestry and
NATURA2000 management?

14. EU LEVEL
Key Actions of 2020 Biodiversity Strategy
Target 1:
 Conservation status assessment (Bird& Habitats Directives)
MS have started assessments and have displayed several
good practices
 Biogeographical Seminars to ensure good management of
Natura 2000 sites
Seminars held include only habitats’ management
Target 3b:
 Encourage forest holders to establish-fund Management Plans
& Integrate biodiversity measures in forest management plans
CAP/ RDR forest measures: Management Plans or
equivalent are included but MEPs have asked for these to be
removed, while several oppose any biodiversity measures

15. EU LEVEL
Article 3/ Bird’s Directive asks MS to “..take the requisite measures
to preserve, maintain or re-establish a sufficient diversity and area of
habitats for all the species of birds....”
Some MS have designated special measures for wild birds
including forestry; most haven’t implemented N2k
management plans in forests
Article 8.4/ Habitats’ Directive asks the EC to “… adopt, having
regard to the available sources of funding … a prioritised action
framework of measures involving co-financing…”
Under developed by MS&EC. Funding is one of the main
obstacles for biodiversity-friendly forest management.
EU Budget under discussion & biodiversity under pressure
Development of a new 2020 Forest Strategy
MS & EC have decided to aim for forest multi-functionality and
coherence in application; if not well planned, it will fail
Development of LULUCF legislation

16. NATIONAL LEVEL
 Several MS have taken small steps forward due to their
forest or biodiversity strategy, eg.
 Germany started serious discussions on forest protection
(Project “Impacts of nature protection requirements on forestry -
forest sector”)
 Sweden implemented measures for the enhancement of
forest biodiversity over the last CAP period
 Bulgaria have started to monitor dead wood of forests
 GB have started to measure each habitats condition
 Significant volunteer initiatives are taking place, eg.
 Austria; SFM guidelines developed through the
cooperation of BirdLife Austria and Austrian Federal
Company (ÖBf)
 Volunteer certification schemes have supported forest
biodiversity in some countries (eg. FSC in Spain & UK)

17. Are we ready to take
advantage of the opportunities
of the biodiversity- friendly
forest management in
NATURA2000?
Are we on the right
track to achieve the
2020 Biodiversity
Strategy goals for
forests?
Let’s
discuss this

18. www.birdlife.org
pkourakli@ornithologiki.gr