PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
Presentation of the revised version of the Guidelines for Population Level
Management plans for Large Carnivores and report from national workshops
Luigi Boitani1,2 and Valeria Salvatori2,3
1
Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Viale dell’Università 32 , IT00185 Rome
2
Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe - 3 Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Via Arezzo 29, IT – 00161, Rome.
The Guidelines for population level management plans for large carnivores were drafted in May
2007 and further discussed at national and international levels through presentations at the Habitat
Committee and discussions held at national workshops from November 2007 to April 2008.
The document was generally welcomed although not without several comments from nearly all the
governments where workshops were held and several other individual contributors. The general
sense was that the guidelines provide an effective facilitation to the management of large carnivores
in Europe, particularly through transboundary cooperation. The main issues of concern were
referred to the legal status of the document, and the difficulty to engage in collaboration with non
EU member states. The issue of small portions of populations, particularly where they are shared
with countries hosting the largest part, was also raised, highlighting the risk of loosing such small
portions in the view of a population approach.
We held in total 15 workshops with 20 countries hosting large carnivores. Only 3 countries refused
to hold the workshop for different logistic reasons, and among them, one expressed its open
disagreement with the whole process and the resulting document. Most countries contributed also in
updating data in the tables reported in Appendix I and while some countries expressed their doubts
about including Appendix II in the final version of the document, the largest majority of the
countries found them extremely useful.
The final version of the document has been revised according to all comments and critiques
collected and it now expresses many of the concerns raised. Continuous consultation with the
European Commission ensured that the final text fully represents their views. It is expected to
provide a useful and operational support for managers, researchers and authorities on conservation
of large carnivores throughout Europe.
Conservation of large carnivores in the Alps
Reinhard Schnidrig
Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland
Three species of large carnivores are present in the range of the European Alps (lynx, wolf and
bear). In all three species a transboundary cooperation between the concerned states was established
in the last years. Whereas in the case of the lynx an expert network (SCALP) attends the
conservation of the species, the structures in international wolf and bear management comprise
both, scientific experts and representatives of the national authorities.
The most important outcome of the transboundary cooperation is the will to treat the populations as
one transboundary alpine population shared by the different nations and therefore the agreement to
monitor the population together, establish adapted management plans and use a same terminology
(e.g. typology of bears).
We appreciate the population approach as elaborated in the LCIE guidelines as well as the
pragmatic approach for achieving the conserving of large carnivores, taking into account the socio
economic dimension of large carnivore management.
For the future it would be preferable to have an international political agreement to give the
authorities a mandate for a common management of these transboundary populations.
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
The Conservation of Lynx in Bohemia/Bavaria
Jan Šíma
Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic
Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) has naturally occurred in almost the whole central Europe including the
area of the Czech Republic. During the15th – 17th cent Lynx disappeared due to deforestation and
land use changes from Central Bohemia, South and Central Moravia. In the 18th century the
population of the species decreased and was fragmented. The original Lynx population was finally
exterminated during the 19th cent. (last records: South Bohemia in 1835 – 1894).
Due to the migration of individuals from Slovakia the population of the species has been recovering
again in the Czech part of the Carpathians (Beskydy Mts.) after the 1945. In the 1950 Lynx was
noticed also in the Šumava Mts. Reintroduction programs in the Bavarian forest Mts. (1970-72) and
Šumava Mts. (“Program Lynx” 1982– 89) were important moments for the present Czech and
Central European Lynx population. There were released approx. 17 individuals of the Carpathians
origin at the Czech side. Reintroduction programs were successful and since 1995 the South
Bohemia/Bavarian population has counted 70 – 100 individuals.
The monitoring of the released individuals and the whole population has been carrying out using
snow tracking and questionnaires. Radiotelemetry has been used for monitoring of Lynx (and also
its prey) since 1996 and GPS collars since 2002. As well as the monitoring of the species, lot of
research has been done (research on spatial organization, reproduction, behavior, diurnal activity,
food ecology, genetics, parasitology, morphology etc.). The monitoring is fully coordinated on both
sides of the Czech/Bavarian border by the administrations of the NP Šumava and NP
Bayerischewald and makes important part of the CELTIC initiative. The coordination also involves
cooperation with NGO’s taking part in the monitoring and enlarging public awareness. It’s
necessary to ensure and develop close trans-boundary cooperation also on other topics regarding the
species conservation (e.g. poaching, migration barriers etc.).
The experience of the Baltic States in large carnivore management
Marcis Saklaurs
Ministry of Environment, Latvia
Three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are located at east side of the Baltic Sea and
covered approximately 175 117 km2. All three countries are member states of EU and taking the
European Community policy and action programme on the environment. Three member states have
to promote the maintenance of biodiversity, taking in account of economic, social, cultural and
regional requirements according to Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and
wild fauna and flora. All three countries according to the Directive 92/43/EEC are working on
prevention of deterioration of natural habitats and prevention of threats to wild species.
These species are the wolf (Canis lupus), the brown bear (Ursus arctos) and the Eurasian lynx
(Lynx lynx) in a context of large carnivores. The population of wolf covers all three states, the
population of lynx continuous distribution across all Estonia, all Latvia and highly fragmented
across Lithuania, brown bear – large number in Estonia and a only few individuals in Latvia. These
species have differences in the management plans and goals for conservation in the region because
of population status and dynamics. The Baltic States have monitoring of large carnivores
cooperating between responsible bodies, authorities and NGO’s. The main aim for thriving
populations of large carnivores, achieving a widespread public acceptance, is continuing
management in a scientifically based and responsible way that balance the need for conservation,
harvest and the use of other natural resources.
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
The Management of Large Carnivores in Scandinavia
Lisbeth Grønfeldt Bergman
Nordic Council
Abstract not received
DinaRis: A Project in Support of Transboundary Cooperation in Lynx
Conservation
Aleksandra Majić Skrbinšek1,3, Magda Sindičić2, Miha Krofel1, Tomaž Skrbinšek1, Vedran
Slijepčević2, Hubert Potočnik1, Josip Kusak2, Tomislav Gomerčić2, Ivan Kos1 and Đuro Huber2
1
University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
3
[email protected]
2
Project DinaRis, (full name “Transboundary cooperation in research, conservation and management
of the Dinaric lynx population”), an INTERREG IIIA project was initiated by researchers from
Slovenia and Croatia. The main goal of the project was to intensify already existing cooperation
among researchers and facilitate future trans-boundary cooperation between managers and decisionmakers in large carnivore conservation. Lynx, being the most endangered and the least known of
the three large carnivores both countries share, seemed the most appropriate to start such
cooperation.
We can group the specific goals of the project into three interrelated categories:
1. Acquisition of knowledge important for lynx conservation: we have collected telemetry data from
eight lynx and 11 prey species (roe and red deer) individuals, analyzed lynx diet and competition
for food with other carnivores, started a genetic study on lynx tissue and noninvasive samples,
completed a survey of public attitudes towards and knowledge about lynx among general public and
hunters, prepared a habitat model for lynx and a population dynamics model.
2. Building of foundations for future joint management: the main focus was preparation of a
proposal of a Joint Lynx Management Plan, with 50 representatives of 23 different organizations
from both countries participating in the process. We will submit this proposal to decision-makers in
both countries. The other important issue was harmonization and intensification of monitoring
activities in both countries. For this purpose we developed an open, online monitoring database with
a GIS interface and tested use of hair traps as a monitoring method.
3. Dissemination of knowledge and awareness raising: we have set up a comprehensive web page
about lynx conservation, research and management – www.dinaris.org, produced a brochure about
lynx in the northern Dinarics, produced an interactive exhibition “Following lynx’ trails”, a 20minutes documentary about the project “Lynx in the Dinarics”, added informational panels about
lynx on existing forest educational trails, organized a series of presentations for the public in the
project area and communicated with the media on a regular basis. All produced materials were
bilingual. The survey carried out during the last third of the project showed that on average over
50% of respondents were in some way familiar with the project (37% of general public and 63% of
hunters).
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
Management of large carnivores in Slovenia
Janez Kastelic
Ministry of the Environment, SIovenia.
Because of the various conservation status of the population of large carnivores, Slovenia is using
different management approaches based on monitoring to assure favorable conservation status of
brown bear, wolf and lynx. Current situation of lynx population demands strict protection: each
individual is very important, therefore no encroachment in population is allowed, despite of
damages caused by lynx. Till this year, similar management was used for wolf. Because of the latest
development in wolf population, especially growth of population size and enormous increase of
damages, the ministry decided to adopt the strategy similar to the strategy of brown bear.
The Brown Bear Management Strategy is based on two equally important goals: the long-term
preservation of the brown bear species in Slovenia, including its habitat, and ensuring the
coexistence of man and bear. The essential element of the brown bear management is intervention
in the brown bear population under strictly supervised conditions, on a selective basis and to a
limited extent, permitted by the competent national authorities. Therefore, the presentation focuses
on such a method of management, which we strongly believe will be a method necessary in the
near future in some other countries of EU.
Slovenia is also paying attention to international and especially cross-border cooperation as one
of the key elements of the successful conservation of brown bear population within the EU.
Therefore, numerous projects were already carried out.
More info:
http://www.mop.gov.si/en/areas_of_work/environment_directorate/sektor_za_politiko_ohranjanja_
narave/large_carnivores_in_slovenia/
Hunters’ Perceptions of Large Carnivores in Europe
Torsten Mörner1,2, Angus Middleton2;
1 Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, Öster Malma, 611 91 Nyköping, SWEDEN;
2 Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE), Rue F. Pelletier 82 – B-1030 Brussels,
BELGIUM
The Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE) has been in
existence for over 30 years and represents about 7 million hunters in Europe. In order to get
information about the hunters´ perception about large carnivores was a survey of all 37 member
countries performed. An overall 60% response rate was received. The general opinion of hunters is
that large carnivores should be managed in the same way as other game species, of which there are
several good examples. In Sweden, for instance, the brown bear population has been steadily
increasing even if it is hunted.
FACE members welcome the draft Guidelines for Population Level Management Plans
for Large Carnivores. It is a step in the right direction and it fosters co-existence between large
carnivores, humans and hunters. This is vitally important in order to have acceptance of large
carnivore management by the local stakeholders and to avoid conflicts. The draft guidelines also
promote regional management, which can only be welcomed as the decision- making is moved
closer to the local stakeholders. This is crucial for FACE’s support of the guidelines and so is the
introduction of PVA-analyses and adaptive management. These should be the main instruments for
the management of large carnivore populations.
FACE members, however, point out that the document still contains some unclear or worrying
aspects. One of them is cross-border populations shared by EU member states and non-EU member
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
states. Another is the definition of “slight reduction” in population numbers when it comes to
defining favourable conservation status. Neither do the draft guidelines address the problem with
large carnivore predation on species with a unfavourable conservation status or situations where
large carnivores seem to have stopped spreading from a certain area, resulting in very high regional
densities of large carnivores.
The Interests of Environmental Organisations
Michael Craig Baltzer
WWF Danube Carpathian Programme
Nothing in the animal world draws the interest of the general public as much as the large carnivores.
Whether it is watching lion kills in the Serengeti or stories of the wolf and Red Riding Hood in the
ancient forests of Europe, people are passionate about large carnivores – positively and negatively.
Environmental NGOs in Europe have often drawn on this passion to make the large carnivores of
Europe the flagship for conservation efforts. However, the support for these large ranging top
predators has often put them into conflict with many local people who live or have the potential to
live amongst large carnivores. Furthermore, NGOs have often been against hunting or have played a
key watchdog role for ensuring reasonable hunting quotas. This has often led to conflict with
management authorities. As opportunities increase to further expand the distribution of these
animals particularly across national boundaries, the support, participation and cooperation of the
general public will be vital to the success of a population management approach. The urgency to
take these opportunities is now more pressing than ever. Not just to ensure robust populations of
large carnivores but by acting as an umbrella species for many other species and habitats across
large spaces and conserving the ecological processes important for adapting to future climates in
Europe. Population management of large carnivores is important for environmental NGOs as it
provides a perfect platform to test cooperation on planning, scientific, legislative, cultural and
socio-economic systems and engage the public, landowners, and officials in adopting and meeting
European legislation across national boundaries and meeting the challenges of climate change.
The Conflicts with Agricultural Practices
Giampaolo Tardella
COPA-COGECA
In several regions of Europe, carnivorous predators, the wolf in particular had all but disappeared
but following a number of local and European initiatives, this predator is back and is often a source
of tension and conflict among livestock farmers.
It is true that in areas affected by the presence of wolves, there has been unease among livestock
farmers because the traditional form of animal farming has been put at peril.
Tensions have been heightened as there has been no conflict management of recognition of the
victims and the damage that has been sustained. Damages although regulated have not been dealt
with uniformly throughout the EU. In addition to “direct” losses of animals, there are also other
forms of damage which include:
-
abortions, animals fleeing into surrounding areas, costs of carcass disposal, economic loss
linked to the diminished value of injured animals, loss of milk for a certain period, exacerbated
loss when the animals are of a high breeding value or for sheep and goats which are on their
way to extinction.
The COPA-COGECA therefore highlights the need to:
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
1. Define harmonised common rules and make appropriate funds available (e.g. compensation
payments for damages) in order to reduce or eradicate conflicts more effectively.
2. Anticipate conflict with livestock farmers in order to make pastoral activity more
sustainable, by allowing for dialogue and supplying farmers with information.
3. Recognise that animal farming at areas in risk may benefit from an extra compensation for
the increased work and/or costs borne by the farmers. It could be defined as a “support
premium for maintaining cultural countryside which is exposed to the risk of attacks from
wild fauna”.
Management of LC Populations – Federal, National and International:
Cooperation - Chances and Challenges in Germany
Manfred Wölfl
Bavarian Ministry of Environment, Health and Consumer Protection, DE
Most of the Large Carnivore populations in Europe spread across different countries. Their
management therefore needs close transboundary cooperation. This necessity also applies within
countries: e. g. for the task to ensure coordination and cooperation between different regions,
federal states or autonomous provinces.
The challenges and chances of such an extra work of federal coordination and cooperation in large
carnivore population management are explored in the current situation of bear, wolf and lynx
management in Germany:
The Federal Government is competent for international issues and thus has to negotiate and decide
on international species conservation issues and is the addressee for reporting and documenting the
implementation of the international obligations and recommendations.. Beyond this task the Federal
Government is actively supporting work on pan European management on Large Carnivores.
However, the federal states do have the responsibility for the implementation and immediate
management actions.
Therefore an intensive and well adapted process of coordination and intranational cooperation of
the Federal Government with the federal states and among the latter is obligatory to come to a
haromizend and synergistic management approach.
Within this process the main task will be to translate the international frame into regional
necessities (“top down”). This translation should work as a clearing house mechanism and could
imply the coordination of the process, the facilitation of the international and intra-national political
level, and the provision of overall technical guidance.
Regional initiatives should work out suitable management tools within this accepted framework
(“bottom up”).
Both approaches are meant to be synchronized in an adaptive manner. In the long term existing
management on the regional level could thus be harmonized within the national boundaries and
across countries. Different regional approaches could guarantee “management diversity” and give
valuable feedback to the overall population level.
Timing for initiating this process will be crucial to avoid double work and competing or even
contradicting management approaches.
The Conservation of Wolf and Bear in Spain: Results from the past 20 years
Borja Heredia
Min. of Environment, ES
Abstract not received
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
Large Carnivores conservation in Italy
Pierluigi Fiorentino
Min. of Environment, IT
In Italy two populations of Wolf and two populations of Brown Bear are present. The Brown
Bear populations are localized in the Central Apennines (with the subspecies Ursus arctos
marsicanus) and in the eastern-central Alps. The two Wolf populations are present all along the
Apennines and in the eastern Alps. Some lynx also occasionally occur in the Alps, but no
established nuclei are still present. At the moment, all the species are strictly protected by national
laws.
The conservation strategy of the Italian Ministry for the Environment is based on the elaboration of
National Action Plan for each population in order to graduate the actions to the distinguishing
characteristic (social, economic, environmental…) of the population. So two different action plans
for Brown Bear has been worked out (PACOBACE, PATOM) and two plans for Wolf has been
setting up.
For every action plan, an agreement protocol has been signed by all the national authorities
involved on the conservation and management of the species (Ministry of environment, regional
and provincial administrations, regional and national parks, NGOs, Italian Wildlife Institute),
aiming to set up and to implement a shared action plan.
According to the international recommendations, the Italian Ministry has signed an “Agreement for
the conservation and the management of the transboundary wolf population in the Alps" with
France and Suisse (currently two groups are working on “monitoring and research” and on
“prevention and compensation of damages”) and is promoting a similar agreement with Suisse for
the management of the brown bear in the Central Alps.
Application of FCS in the Carpathian Countries
Alina Frim, Anda Guttinger, Ovidiu Ionescu
Min. of Environment, RO
Starting from the middle of the ‘50 monitoring of the large carnivore population was done in the
hole Carpathian area. The evolution of the species was different in different countries but generally
till 1990 the bear population increase, and lynx and wolf population fluctuated. After 1990 ,
excepting the bear population in Romania , large carnivores in Carpathians were stable or increase,
After 1996 also the bears in Romania increase in number.
In the last 25 years the size of the large carnivore areal increase or was stabile, practically all the
favourable habitats being inhabited.
Till now the quality of the habitat is quite good but in the future the danger of roads and building
construction together with tourism endangered the habitat integrity and connectivity.
Monitoring of the populations and the habitat is done in all the countries.
Still the Carpathian Mountains, representing only 2% of the European surfaces, have the most
numerous large carnivore populations in Europe out of Russia in a favourable conservation status.
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
Process of Management Plan Development without EU Legislation
Jasna Jeremić
State Inst. For Nature Protection, HR
In Croatia the wolf has been protected by the Nature Protection Act since May 9, 1995. According
to the Red list of mammals in Croatia the wolves are categorised as NT (nearly threatened).
Intensification of activities in wolf conservation and management by the end of 2002 was made
possible by the international LIFE III project "Conservation and management of Wolves in
Croatia". Competent authority/ beneficiary was the State Institute for Nature protection in
partnership with Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zagreb. Project provided a
framework for developing the Wolf Management Plan for Croatia. There were three main starting
points in the development of this Plan: ensuring long-term survival of the wolf population;
understanding and minimizing problems between wolves and people; and coordination of planned
activities with those in neighbouring countries with which wolf populations are shared – Slovenia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Development of the Plan involved representatives of all interest groups. Through joint workshops
and willingness by the government to let a diverse group of interests to strive for common solution,
increased communication between groups occurred. The result was better decision making and
good quality management of wolves in Croatia.
The Plan was officially adopted by the Decision of the minister of culture on 7 December 2004.
The Plan has been designed as an active document which will be revised at least every two years,
and it will bring about amendments to the valid laws and regulations governing the areas of hunting,
nature protection, veterinary science and other activities.
Authors of texts of the Wolf management Plan for Croatia produced according to workshop reports;
Ana Štrbenac, Đuro Huber, Josip Kusak, Aleksandra Majić-Skrbinšek, Alojzije Frković, Želimir
Štahan, Jasna Jeremić, Sonja Desnica, Petra Štrbenac.
Perspectives for the non EU Countries signataries of the Bern Convention
Eladio Fernandez Galiano
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe’s Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural
Habitats (Bern 1979) is the first biodiversity Convention to fully protect all large carnivores in
Europe. The Convention has been ratified by 42 European States and the European Communities.
The Convention pioneered intergovernmental work on large carnivores at the European level, first
organising a number of meetings, creating a group of experts on large carnivores and adopting
specific recommendations on Eurasian lynx, Iberian lynx, brown bear and wolf during the 1980’s
and 1990’s. In 1999 the Standing Committee to the Convention adopted “European Action Plans”
for those four species and for wolverine. Those action plans, elaborated by the Large Carnivore
Initiative for Europe, have been since the basis for intergovernmental co-operation on LC.
In 2005, following the results of a seminar held in Osilnica (Slovenia), the Convention requested
states to further co-operate and share information relating to conservation and management of
transboundary populations of large carnivores. The idea was to prepare and carry out co-ordinated
transboundary action plans for the shared populations of LC.
In the framework of the present exercise, in which guidelines are being prepared for population
level management of LC in the European Union, the role of the Bern Convention could be to extend
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
further of the borders of the Union those guidelines and to network with states that are not member
states for the EU, so that a joint and harmonious European-wide policy may apply to the whole
continent.
From the global to the local – can we find a blueprint for coexistence?
John Linnell
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tungasletta 2, N-7485
Trondheim, Norway
The modern experiment with large carnivore conservation in Europe is only a few decades old.
Despite the strong recovery of many populations, some small populations are struggling to persist.
Wherever we look in Europe we find that conflicts of some form occur between large carnivores
and rural people. There are therefore many challenges to be faced in our attempt to establish human
- carnivore coexistence in shared landscapes. This talk outlines some of the challenges and some of
the potential solutions that need to be addressed. The basic issue is how to balance the biological
needs of these wide-ranging species with the concerns of rural people with whom they must share
the landscape. Linked to both of these is a need to adapt to local situations without loosing sight of
the global perspective. Based on our combined European experience from research and
conservation / management of carnivores we have learnt enough lessons to present a blueprint for
coexistence. The talk attempts to present a vision for how the future of large carnivore conservation
will look within the context for a potential vision for the European landscape of the future.
However, there are still many details that need to be addressed and some significant barriers remain,
concerning the ecology of carnivores and the structure of human management and decision making
practices.
Integration with EC Policies: The Rural Development programmes
Marco Cipriani
EC DG Agric and Rural Dev
Council Regulation (EC) N° 1698/2005 sets the main legal framework for the Community Rural
Development policy for the period 2007-2013 and establishes the following objectives: improving
the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry; improving the environment and the countryside;
improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging economic diversification.
As regards the environmental objectives, the EU-level priority areas for the RD policy are: water,
climate change and biodiversity.
RD policy is based on subsidiarity: it is up to Member States to elaborate their national strategy and
to draw up their RD programmes (at national or regional level); to decide which measures to
implement (out of more than forty offered by Regulation), how to design them (type of actions,
beneficiaries, eligible costs, aid intensities, eligibility conditions etc) and how to distribute the
budget among the proposed measures. After approval by the Commission, the RD programmes are
implemented by national/regional authorities.
Agri-environment payments are particularly useful to address environmental issues, by
compensating farmers for additional costs and income foregone due to voluntary environmental
commitments going beyond specific baseline requirements. Support for environmental nonproductive investments is another measure that can be used to complement agri-environment.
Ninety-four RD programmes have been approved for the period 2007-2013. The total Community
budget is 91 billion euro (to be complemented by the national co-financing): 44% of funds are
PAN EU ROPEAN CONFERENCE ON POPU LATION LEVELMANAGEMENT PLANSOF EU ROPEAN LARGECARNIVORES
going to be spent for the measures on environment and the countryside (sustainable use of
agricultural and forestry land).
Under the CAP “Health Check”, the Commission has just proposed to shift further funds (5 billion
euro) from the first pillar of the CAP (mainly direct payments) to the second pillar (Rural
Development), namely to address the challenges related to climate change, renewable energy, water
and biodiversity.
Potential financial sources from the EC programmes for the conservation of
large carnivores
Marita Arvela
Nature and Biodiversity Unit, DG Environment, European Commission
The provisions of the Habitats Directive establish that the Member States have the responsibility to
ensure management of Natura 2000 sites. However, the directive recognizes also the need for the
Community to financially support this work.
In 2004 the Commission proposed, after consulting the Member States and stakeholders that the
financing of Natura 2000 should be integrated into the different Community funds (The
Communication on the Financing of Natura 2000 to the Council and the Parliament of 15.7.2004).
The provisions in the new 2007–13 funding period open up the possibility of making much more
finance available for nature projects. The needs for funding of Natura 2000 and wider biodiversity
or environment context were clearly identified in all the appropriate funding regulations presented
by the Commission in the context of the 2007–13 budget period. In addition the Commission
provided "Financing Natura 2000 Guidance Handbook" to help Member States to identify
opportunities for EU co-financing of Natura 2000. The final decision of the national programmes
has however taken by the relevant national managing authorities.
Significant contribution towards Natura 2000 demonstration projects is reserved within the LIFE+
Fund. The beneficiaries obtain co-financing from this fund directly from the EC. Between 19992006 almost 30 LIFE-Nature projects were financed to target conservation measures for large
carnivores.
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) can finance for example
building of fences and buying of guard dogs. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),
the European Social Fund (ESF) and potentially the Cohesion Fund can contribute to conservation
measures of large carnivores by supporting both investment and non-investment projects.
Scientific and research studies can be financed within the 7th Research Framework Program (FP7).
Outside EU, for example Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), EuropeAid’s thematic
programmes and European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) might give
opportunities to finance measures targeted for large carnivore conservation.
Status of the Guidelines for Population Level Management Plan and position of
the Commission for the management of European Large Carnivores
Patrick Murphy
EC DG ENV
Abstract will not be provided.