ECNC

ECNC’s Large Herbivore Network (LHNet), together with the Russian Academy of Sciences, started work on a feasibility study financed by the WNF INNO fund for international nature conservation activities. The wild reindeer population of the Yamalo-Nenetsky Autonomous District in Russia is under increasing pressure from oil and gas exploitation. The aim of this study is to identify conflicts between reindeer and the oil and gas industry and to eventually define management measures which will reduce and, where possible, avoid conflicts.

The feasibility study is the first of three phases in the project. The overall outcome of the project as a whole will be the conservation of critical habitats and habitats and calving grounds, and preservation of migration routes of wild reindeer. It will also consider the interests of the indigenous communities of reindeer herders, who are to some extent in conflict with wild reindeer, which compete with domestic reindeer for pasture. It is hoped that the project will demonstrate that cooperation between conservationists and industry can contribute to improving the status of threatened wildlife in the Russian Arctic region.

For more information, please contact Ben Delbaere or visit the project’s web page.

A handbook is under preparation by ELN-FAB to help the stakeholders to strengthen the role of FAB in their operations, and to promote and disseminate examples of best practice. The editorial team recently met at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. The key issue discussed during the meeting was how to integrate FAB into practices. The participants reached consensus on the content of the handbook and agreed on the next steps. The final draft of the handbook is planned to be ready by June 2012.

The European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity (ETC/BD) Implementation Plan for 2012 has been launched. ECNC has been a consortium partner of the ETC/BD since 1994 and in this role it carries out part of the Topic Centre's annual work plans. This year ECNC will:

• keep providing expert input in the fields of biodiversity and ecosystem assessment processes, protected areas and climate change;
• support the streamlining of global, pan European and EU processes, the development of indicators and the Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE); and
• contribute to the revision of the SEBI (Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators) set of indicators in relation to new global and European targets.

During 2011 ECNC had a key role in the elaboration of the Protected Areas report (which will be published early summer 2012), preparing the chapters on policy context, protected areas beyond biodiversity conservation and environmental context and participating in the advisory group meetings. ECNC also prepared an analysis of indicators used by European countries in their forth national reports to the CBD linked to the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 targets and the CBD Aichi Biodiversity Targets and presented the main results at the European Environment Agency EIONET (European Environment Information and Observation Network) meeting in Copenhagen. Furthermore ECNC contributed to the development of the BISE website on protected areas, to SEBI Coordination Team Meetings and the SEBI inter-linkages report. Finally, ECNC hosted the ETC/BD Management Committee Meeting in October.

The work of ECNC as part of the contract for the ETC/BD is funded by the European Environment Agency.

For more information, please contact the project leader: Ben Delbaere.

This week ECNC is attending the project kick-offs for the recently started (sub)project "Facilitation assistance for Local Initiatives in Biodiversity Conservation" in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Meetings will be held with key representatives in each of the four targeted protected areas (PAs): Kozara National Park, Sutjeska National Park, Lom Forest Reserve and Janj Forest Reserve.

The aim of the technical facilitation assistance is for ECNC and its partner REC to assist local stakeholders in and around PAs in Bosnia and Herzegovina to prepare subprojects that meet the funding criteria of the small grant funds which will be allocated to support biodiversity conservation efforts. This will be achieved through capacity building and technical assistance.

The meetings will be an opportunity to introduce the project to the PA managers, agree on the cooperation and plan further steps of the project. The meetings can also be used to get an idea about the main issues and opportunities in and around each PA; to identify the key stakeholders to be involved in the project; and to determine the best way for the PA management to inform stakeholders about the project and invite them to follow workshops (public consultation and capacity building).

Photo: Lom Forest Reserve, Kristijan Čivić ©

On Wednesday 25 January the main hall of the Province House in ’s-Hertogenbosch was transformed into a biodiversity marketplace, whose theme was ‘Brabant: Good health from natural wealth’. The event was attended by about 400 participants who are engaged in various aspects of the relationship between biodiversity, health and nutrition.

The marketplace resulted in 50 matches between parties engaged in the management of nature and green spaces, food and agricultural production, and health care. The aim of the matches is to lead to agreements which result in benefits for nature and society in Brabant. Seven Brabant Green Deals were also signed. The deals involve cooperation between two or more organizations in Brabant, working together for better biodiversity, healthier food production or improved health for the people of Noord-Brabant.

Johan van den Hout, Regional Minister for Ecology and Conservation, opened the marketplace. He emphasized the role of biodiversity conservation as a vital pillar of the healthy economy of Brabant. He argued that building bridges between organizations and businesses, as the marketplace is doing, is the way to ensure a continued livable Brabant that is an attractive location for businesses. He stated: “We must show confidence in new initiatives and support cooperation between biodiversity, economy and health care.”

The event was chaired by Frank Petter, chairman of the Noord-Brabant Task Force on Biodiversity, chairman of the Provincial Health Council and Mayor of Woudrichem. He concluded that Noord-Brabant is leading the way in forging practical agreements between parties to promote biodiversity, health and sustainable food. He said: “Brabant must be greener and healthier – it’s wonderful that different companies, as well as ZLTO and the Provincial Health Council of Brabant, are participating so actively.”

Deals were made between a beekeepers association and the farming sector, aimed at introducing more flowers into the agricultural landscape in order to iincrease the bee’s chances of survival and to improve crop pollination. Twelve institutions – from nature associations, municipalities and water board to sheep farmers – have joined together to work for the conservation of the Kempen Heath by making greater use of sheep to manage nature in Brabant and marketing lamb as a regional product. Cooperation between the Provincial Health Council and several recreational enterprises will help to ensure that three care homes fit into their natural surroundings, at the same time using the surroundings to promote the well-being and health of the care-dependent guests.

ECNC organized the marketplace at the request of the Province of Noord-Brabant and the Noord-Brabant Task Force on Biodiversity. The marketplace was financially supported by the Province of Noord-Brabant. The biodiversity marketplace ‘Brabant: Good health from natural wealth’ was in part inspired by the NME package ‘Brabant pearls of biodiversity’, financed by the Province of Noord-Brabant and the Dutch national programme office for Nature and Environmental Education (Agentschap NL).

Photo: Biodiversity marketplace, Peter von Meijenfeldt ©

From 25 to 27 January 2012, 28 participants from five northwest European countries will come together at Camp Reinsehlen (Schneverdingen, Lower Saxony, Germany) to test the first version of a suite of training programmes for local biodiversity.

Integrating biodiversity into local plans and actions offers many opportunities for local sustainable development. As a result of ongoing decentralization, local administrations have increasing responsibilities for the implementation of biodiversity-related policies.

The project “Local Skills for Biodiversity” (BD SKILLS) is developing a biodiversity training approach for local administrations’ staff based on best available practice. Staff will be trained with the new material, allowing them to better integrate biodiversity into local plans and actions. This will improve their technical knowledge, skills and personal development and increase their value on the labour market, which is being influenced by the greening of the economy. National and regional biodiversity-related policy objectives will be better integrated at the local level.

The development of the training is a collaborative effort of the project partners:

• ECNC-European Centre for Nature Conservation
• Atelier technique des espaces naturels, France
• Gelderse Milieufederatie, the Netherlands
• Natureparif, France
• Alfred Toepfer Akademie für Naturschutz, Germany
• Natuurpunt Educatie, Belgium
• Yorkshire and Humber Environment Trust

The training materials will be further improved by integrating feedback from the participants, and then they will be translated into Dutch, French and German. As part of the project, training for local authorities will be offered.

The project results will be discussed at an international conference towards the end of the project in autumn 2012.

BD SKILLS is being carried out by a consortium of the seven partners from five northwest European countries and is co-funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme for Lifelong Learning.

For further information, see: www.biodiversityskills.eu (in development)

The SUSTAIN project team held its kick-off meeting, hosted by the University of Rennes, France, on 10 and 11 January 2012. SUSTAIN (Soil Functional Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, a Transdisciplinary Approach) is a research project funded by the ERA-NET SNOWMAN under the EU 6th Framework Programme. ECNC, host of the secretariat of the European Learning Network on Functional AgroBiodiversity (ELN-FAB), is a project partner and will play a role in disseminating the project results.

The main objectives of SUSTAIN are to understand how reduced tillage systems, as compared to conventional tillage systems, impact soil functional biodiversity and soil functions such as soil structural maintenance, organic matter and nutrient cycling, water regulation, filtering and pest regulation. SUSTAIN will also quantify the consequences of reduced tillage systems on the soil ecosystem services of food production and greenhouse gas mitigation, and investigate the socio-economic sustainability of reduced tillage systems.

The involvement of the ELN-FAB will ensure Europe-wide dissemination of the results to the various stakeholder groups. The SUSTAIN project runs for three years (2011-2014).

For more information see: http://www.snowmannetwork.com/main.asp?id=110

ECNC has recently started work on the new EU biogeographical seminars process. The European Commission initiated this programme of new Natura 2000 seminars, based on biogeographic regions and involving ministries, experts, NGOs and other representatives from the relevant member states, whose aim is to provide an interactive forum, supported by technical and stakeholder generated documentation, in which region specific solutions can be found to the problems of delivering sustainable site management now and in the future. The process of stakeholder engagement is intended to provide real-time identification and assessment of the key management issues in relation to Natura 2000 sites and to deliver ownership for the solutions, where necessary across boundaries. ECNC will provide technical and scientific support to the Commission in relation to the implementation of the new seminars process, including the logistic preparation of the Natura 2000 seminars and the preparatory workshops. 

ECNC's work is funded by the European Commission, DG environment. For more information, please contact the project leader: Lawrence Jones-Walters.

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