2005 - Communicating the Pan-European Ecological Network - ECNC

Practical experiences with developing ecological networksCreating an ecological network on paper is relatively easy, but developing the network on the ground canbe (and is) extremely difficult. Lack of resources, insufficient understanding of the concept among keydecision makers, and insufficient expertise to explore the concept adequately rank high in the list of experiencedproblems. The availability of data apparently causes fewer problems in reality than expected, whereasthe translation of the concept from the national to the regional level proves more difficult.Developing an ecological network means involving land-users, economic sectors and other governmentaldepartments. Experiences show that researchers and conservation NGOs are most outspokenly positiveabout ecological networks, closely followed by conservation policy makers and owners/managers ofexisting protected areas. Planning departments and the forestry sector take a more or less neutral position.Farmers and other landowners are most clearly critical, but during the process of network developmentthese ‘opponents’ of ecological networks have been known to move from ‘critical’ to ‘neutral’ or‘supportive’ .Changes in legislation and policy, as well as the availability of funding are the most commonly named triggeringevents for the development of ecological networks.The Pan – European Ecological NetworkThe PEEN concept is fairly well known and generally considered to be relevant for European nature conservation.However, apparently PEEN is rarely discussed in the wider nature conservation community. Thegroup of people and organisations actively involved in pursuing the establishment of PEEN is fairly small,and operates within a somewhat limited circuit.Feasibility and scopeThere is wide support for the hypothesis that, in theory at least, it is possible to develop a functioning Pan-European ecological network within approximately 25 years. Ecological corridors on a Pan – Europeanscale are considered feasible, but lack of data on connectivity requirements of species is seen as a problem.However, even individuals closely involved in the development of PEEN are usually at a loss to indicatehow international corridors can be identified. It is felt that PEEN should not focus exclusively onmigratory species or species with clear connectivity requirements, but should take a wider scope. PEENalso should include nationally protected sites and not focus exclusively on sites designated under internationallegislation. A majority of the respondents believed that it would be desirable to give all elementsof PEEN (i.e. including the corridors) protected status.Formal status of PEENPEEN is considered to provide an added value compared to other international conservation initiatives,but its ‘formal’ status in international nature conservation policy is unclear. This applies especially to therelationship between PEEN, Natura 2000 and the Bern Convention. For some, Natura 2000 and PEEN areso closely intertwined that the implementation of Natura 2000 is equivalent to the first phase of establishingPEEN (identifying the core areas), with the Bern Convention providing a legal framework outside theEU and the Accession Countries. Others see Natura 2000 and the Emerald Network of Bern Conventionsites merely as a first step to the establishment of core areas and felt that other areas could also be partof PEEN. Within the European Commission there are some reservations concerning the desirability of activelypursuing the establishment of PEEN as long as the implementation of Natura 2000 is not completed.As long as core areas are not designated and protected under a legal framework, practical problems areforeseen with creating a functional and sustainable ecological network on a European scale.Establishing PEENThere is no clear vision concerning the process through which PEEN will be established. Generally, a combinationof top-down and bottom-up approaches is considered necessary. Practical implementation ofecological networks can only be done on a fairly limited geographical scale, and the building blocks ofPEEN would be national and regional ecological networks. However, there is little support for the idea that87