Transcript Natural heritage

ESPON 2003
1.3.2
TERRITORIAL TRENDS OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
NATURAL HERITAGE
1 Context and objectives
2 Facts and Figures
3 Physical developments and policy responses
4 Enhancing territorial cohesion
5 Recommendations
ESPON 2003
1
Context and objectives
• Context:
– For sustainable development (balance between economic growth and
natural heritage), the management and protection of natural areas and
landscapes is essential
• Objectives
– What is the influence of the Management of Natural heritage on Spatial
Development
– Develop policy recommendations to influence spatial developments in the
direction of ESDP-objectives (sustainable development)
ESPON 2003
Europe’s environment: the third assessment
2
• International context
– Europe has a significant responsibility for the conservation of globally
threatened mammals, birds and plant species
– Relevant conventions: UN Convention on Biodiversity, the Bern and
Ramsar Conventions, and a number of marine Conventions.
• Importance
– Caucasus and the Mediterranean basin global biodiversity prime regions.
– Europe is home to a large range of domestic animal breeds, which account
for almost half of the global breed diversity.
ESPON 2003
Europe’s environment: the third assessment
• Threats
– half of European breeds are at risk of extinction.
– European trends in farm structure, farm management and farmland
species have resulted in species-rich agricultural habitats declining
considerably during recent decades.
– increasing land-use pressures from transport, urbanization and
intensive agriculture
– diminishing remaining semi-natural remote areas.
– land privatization and restitution (Central and Eastern Europe and
EECCA)
ESPON 2003
THREATS
ESPON 2003
THREATENED SPECIES
ESPON 2003
Europe’s environment: the third assessment
•
Protection
– region with the highest proportions of breeds are under active
conservation.
– 600 different types of designation of protected areas, and more than
65 000 designated sites
– designated sites under national designations in central and eastern
European countries represent 9% of the total region area; in western
countries this is 15%.
ESPON 2003
3
Physical developments and policy responses
Spatial developments
• continuous pressure on area occupied by natural heritage both in
terms of total area covered and fragmentation
• large natural areas found Finland, the Alps, the Cantabrian
mountains, the Pyrenees, the Carpathians, Greece and Scotland.
– dominance of mountainous regions is obvious.
– relative inaccessible and remote locations of these areas protect against
development pressures.
• In rest of Europe natural areas are highly fragmented
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
3
Physical developments and policy responses
Policy responses
• motives for protection: economics and production, natural
functioning, perception, recreation and tourism, science, ethics or
intrinsic value politics
• protection started beginning 20th century
• role of NGO’s very important (IUCN, WWF)
• Natura 2000 is the principal EU policy instrument for the
protection of flora, fauna and habitats
• policies on protection of natural heritage have mainly been
focused on the conservation of specific species, gradually
enlarging the scope towards conservation of habitats
• concern for biodiversity more integrated into sectoral policies,
e.g.: agri-environmental measures and sustainable forestry
policies
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003
NATURA 2000 BAROMETER 03/04/2003
ESPON 2003
4
Enhancing territorial cohesion
• The protection and enhancement of the natural heritage is well
served by territorial cohesion.
• Relevant objectives of the ESDP:
- polycentric urban development
- balanced development
- sustainable development
• ESDP and Natura 2000 aim at enhancing the natural heritage by
increasing the natural area and by forming an ecological network.
ESPON 2003
Policy towards cohesion
ESPON 2003
Backbone of ecological network - Hydrological system
ESPON 2003
5
Recommendations I
• Intensity elaboration and implementation of Natura 2000.
– supports balanced, polycentric, sustainable developments.
– network of natural areas adds to attractiveness of regions.
• Promote preparation of regional spatial development
visions, containing strategic actions for:
– social/economic positioning, based on
– natural/cultural qualities
to be elaborated in spatial plans for:
– polycentric urban, and
– ecological networks.
ESPON 2003
Recommendations II
• Intensify integration of Natura 2000 and rural policies
(CAP) and water framework directive.
• Elaborate ESDP as a framework for national and
regional development visions. ESDP 2 should seek to
specify main European development axes and
ecological main structure.
• Regional typology should balance social/economic and
natural/cultural aspects.
ESPON 2003
ESPON 2003