NATURA 2000 sites in the OOS - selected aspects

 

The European Ecological Network Natura 2000 is the largest co-ordinated network of

protected nature areas in the world, with more than 26,000 sites designated to date and

approximately 18% of the European Union's land area in nine biogeographical regions.

The network was established to protect the most valuable habitats and breeding and

resting places of rare and endangered species. Natura 2000 covers all countries of the

European Union and the boundaries of the areas are plotted both on land and at sea.

 

The system of areas constituting this functionally coherent network enables the

implementation of the policy of protection of natural resources within the European Union.

In accordance with the provisions of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, which

underpin this system, Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Areas of

Conservation (SPAs) for birds are designated. These areas are independent of each other;

they may overlap (at least partly).

 

The obligation to designate Natura 2000 sites applies to all EU Member States.

 

Countries designate proposed areas according to precise natural scientific criteria (relating

to habitat, ecological, including e.g. population characteristics). The procedure leading to

site approval (including through evaluation and completeness determination) by the

European Commission differs for both types of sites. A special documentation is produced

for each designated Natura 2000 site, which consists of the so-called Standard Data Form

(SDF) and digital maps. This documentation contains the most relevant information about

the site (geographic data, data on habitat types and species, so called 'Natura 2000 data'),

and the most important information on the site.

 

"Natura" sites and their characteristics, data on threats, etc.). Conservation plans or

conservation task plans are drawn up for Natura 2000 sites, which, among other things,

identify threats to species and habitats in the Natura 2000 sites or indicate measures to be

taken to improve the condition of the species or habitat in question.

 

The boundaries of Natura 2000 areas, as the boundaries of forms of nature

conservation, cannot be changed in the process of project planning or as part of

adjustments to social or economic expectations. However, local conditions of this nature

are taken into account at the stage of formulating conservation plans or plans of protection

tasks for specific areas, and subsequently at the stage of their operation. Public

communication is an important part of the Natura 2000 management process and is

guaranteed by the Act. This communication (inter alia allowing access to information,

consultation and public disclosure of decisions made) concerns both the approval of

 

Natura 2000 management plans and Natura 2000 impact assessments. A conservation

task plan for Natura 2000 is drawn up for a period of 10 years and a conservation plan for

a site or part of a site is established for a period of 20 years.

 

Natura 2000 is not a system akin to a form of strict protection (as is the case with

reserve protection, which can exclude all forms of human activity). However, due to the

size of the sites, Natura 2000 may include smaller areas of protection with different

national status. This has specific consequences affecting the management of an area or

part of it covered by another national form of protection. In general, despite some potential

constraints on investments in Natura 2000 sites, their establishment may have benefits

beyond nature. These areas can provide an object of local development and income, e.g.

in terms of tourism, subsidies for private landowners, opportunities for local authorities to obtain funding, and more.

 

The functioning of all Natura 2000 sites is based on three key responsibilities, viz:

- duty to prevent any deterioration,

- duty of active protection,

- assessment obligation.

 

According to the latter, any plan or project that could potentially affect a Natura 2000

site must be assessed for this impact. At the same time, a project whose impact on a

Natura 2000 site would be significantly negative cannot be authorised. However, in

exceptional cases, despite a significant negative impact of a project on a Natura 2000 site,

such a situation may occur if the implementation of the project is due to imperative reasons

of overriding public interest, alternative solutions are not possible and compensatory

measures are provided. The above issues are more strictly regulated by the Habitats

Directive.

 

The Natura 2000 context also appears in the framework of regulations related to

strategic EIA. This is because it is subject to, for example, draft policies, strategies, plans

or programmes, the implementation of which may cause significant impacts on a Natura

2000 site, if they are not directly related to or result from the protection of a Natura 2000

site.