Global & European Strategies for Plant Conservation
ESPC Target 4
At least 10% of the world’s ecological regions
effectively conserved
TARGET 4. CONSERVING ECOLOGICAL REGIONS
Information: The GSPC identified that globally about 10% of the land surface is covered by protected areas, in which forest and mountain habitats are well represented, whereas natural grasslands, coastal and estuarine habitats are poorly represented. The GSPC target implies (i) an increase in the representation of different ecological regions in protected areas, and (ii) an increase in the effectiveness of protected areas.
In Europe, as globally, this target requires an increase in the representivity of ecosystems in protected areas and an increase in the effectiveness of protected areas. Delivery of this target is best achieved through the inclusion of plant and fungi data and sites (including IPA or equivalent data) in existing European conservation initiatives, notably the EU Natura 2000 Network, the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN), the Council of Europe Emerald Network, the RAMSAR list of wetland sites coordinated by Wetlands International, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA), National Protected Areas Networks, and through landscape scale conservation, connectivity and mitigation of the effects of climate change. Methodology is being developed to identify areas (Zones of Opportunity) around and within IPAs where habitat restoration would have the greatest possibility of success. This target is taken to mean that at least 10% of each of the major ecological regions (vegetation types) are protected and effectively conserved.
Targets: (for details of lead partners download pdf of ESPC)
GSPC target
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At least 10% of the world’s ecological regions effectively conserved.. |
| ESPC 4.1 | Landscape-scale conservation of Europe’s ecological regions must support the maintenance of plant diversity. |
ESPC 4.1 a |
IPA data – including digital boundary data (or data from equivalent programmes with a focus on plants and fungi) and micro-reserve data are used to support the following biodiversity initiatives: Natura 2000; the Emerald Network; National & International Protected Areas; the Pan-European Ecological Network; Ramsar Convention; Invasive Species Programme. |
ESPC 4.1 b |
The negative effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change on plant diversity reduced by implementing article 10 of the EC Habitats and Species Directive and other measures such as the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) and by creating buffers and corridors or identifying Zones of Opportunity for habitat restoration around IPAs |
Actions to mitigate the effects of climate change: identifying and implementing measures to enlarge and connect core plant-rich and fungus-rich areas to help build genetic resilience within populations, preventing isolation, and to provide routes for species migration, where possible. |
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European Projects/Databases/Organisations:
Organisation
Project/Database (DB)/Aims
Online DB
Habitats of European Importance
Bern Convention
Habitats of European Importance and The Emerald Network
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/conventions/
bern/default_en.asp
European Environment Agency
Assessments of European Habitats and the State of the Environment.
European Union
The EC Habitats Directive and the Natura 2000 network
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/ habitatsdirective/index_en.htm
LIFE database
Database of LIFE EU funded projects on European habitats from 1990 to present.
yes
PEEN
Pan-European Ecological Network – Pan-European Project under the Bern Convention and the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS) – aims to links core sites through the restoration and conservation of corridors
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/Regional/EcoNetworks/
PEEN_en.asp#TopOfPage
Plantlife International & National Partners
Important Plant Areas Project and online database of sites, including searches on threats, habitats, and species.
www.plantlife.org.uk and http://www.plantlifeipa.org/reports.asp
yes
WWF
Ecocregion assessments. Also specific European ecoregion programme offices, e.g. Danube-Carpathians Project
Wetland Habitats
European Union
EC Water Framework Directive – ecological assessment of rivers & monitoring sites
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html
Wetlands International (Europe)
Wetland conservation internationally, several regional offices in Europe, maintain the database of RAMSAR sites
yes
International Mire Conservation Group
Network of specialist to promote and encourage the conservation of mires and to share information and experience.
Grassland Habitats
European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity
Coordinating actions to identify High Nature Value Farmland (including grasslands) for the Environment for Europe Process and the Kyiv Declaration.
KNNV
Royal Dutch Nature Conservation Society – coordinated grassland identification projects in various countries in Central & Eastern Europe.
Veen Ecology
Projects on grasslands and agrobiodiversity in many European countries
Forest Habitats
FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN – produced a series of global forest assessments, latest 2006, next assessment will be in 2010
MCPFE
Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe – High level political initiative for the protection and sustainable management of forests in Europe
Veen Ecology
Assessment of virgin/primary forest in various European countries
Protected Area Networks
Bern Convention
European Diploma of Protected Areas
EUROSITE
Network of conservation organisations in Europe, including public bodies, private organisations and NGOs, activities include site management and implementation of Natura 2000.
IUCN-WCPA (Europe)
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas ( Europe) – Network of protected area expertise, includes databases and best practice guides for management.
http://cms.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/
wcpa_regions/wcpa_europeregion/
yes
UNESCO
World Heritage Sites – The list of world heritage sites currently includes 174 sites identified for as natural sites
Link to case-studies/tool kits: (.pdf)
- International Mires strategy
- Rapid River Assessment
- Wetland conservation (guidelines from Wetlands International)
- Flood plain forest conservation (TK & BROZ)
- Coastal habitats
- High Nature Value Project
- Connectivity Reports ( IEEP, Roger Catchpole, Bern Convention)
- Grassland project in Slovakia (see target 6)
- IPANet in Turkey (see target 16)
International Projects:
- FAO Global Forest Assessment (http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/en/)
- Important Plant Areas – under target 5 of the GSPC (www.plantlife.org.uk)
- International Mire Conservation Group (http://www.imcg.net/)
- IUCN-WCPA – World Commission on Protected Areas (http://cms.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/)
- Wetlands International http://www.wetlands.org/
- WWF Eco-regions Programme http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions/