PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Wildlife conservation across much of Europe has traditionally focused on the protection of key sites. It is now recognised that this approach, on its own, will be insufficient to ensure the conservation of all valued habitats and species, much of which survives in the wider landscape outside protected areas. Even protected areas themselves are suffering as activities in the surrounding hinterlands all too often exert negative influences on the wildlife and habitats within them through pollution, water abstraction, road kills and the creation of barriers to the movement and migration of wildlife. Since the 1970s, a fresh and alternative approach has been emerging in parts of Europe which not only protects important wildlife sites, but also enlarges them through the restoration of habitats and links them through the creation of corridors and stepping stones for the dispersal and migration of species. The concept of "ecological networks" is already being developed in several Pan-European countries. It is fundamental to Action Theme 1 of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy, and is implicit in Articles 3 and 10 of the 1992 Habitats Directive.
OBJECTIVES
The Life ECOnet Project offers a fresh approach to managing the landscape for people and wildlife, and improving the connections between surviving wildlife habitats. The project will use the latest information technology (Geographical Information Systems - GIS, digital aerial photography and landscape ecology) to analyse the landscapes of Cheshire, Abruzzo and Emilia-Romagna. It will identify concentrations of habitats of high value for wildlife as well as areas that have the potential for the creation of new habitats and corridors for the movement of wildlife. Extensive discussions will be held with all stakeholders to raise awareness of the concept of ecological networks, and to seek their support and active participation. The network will be pieced together in a number of ways. It is recognised that parts are already in place, for example, as nature reserves and country parks. Elsewhere, the network will be incorporated wherever possible in existing rural and urban initiatives, and by utilising whatever grant schemes are available. Opportunities for the creation of new habitats by "green generators", such as quarries, derelict land and landfill sites, will also be explored. Some of the key aspects of the Life ECOnet Project are: • involving local people • contributing to sustainable development • re-connecting the landscape • reducing the conflicts between transport and wildlife • integrating policies for nature and land use • more objective land use decision making • enhanced targeting of land management schemes • providing a spatial framework for biodiversity initiatives • supporting European Directives and initiatives.
RESULTS
The project successfully tested the hypothesis that the integration of environmental issues in land use planning and management can be facilitated by the use of an holistic model which focuses on the realisation of regional ecological networks. The model has five, equally important and co-dependent elements or tasks: • Technical development of Geographical Information Systems and the application of landscape ecology principles • Assessing and influencing land use policy and instruments • Demonstrating integrated land management • Engaging stakeholders • Dissemination. The realisation of an ecological network has helped local authorities and land managers to integrate environmental considerations in land use planning and management. It is a targeting mechanism and aid to decision-making, providing a methodology for advancing nature conservation in Europe in ways that make ecological sense and are consistent with European Directives and initiatives. The model proposed can be easily applied in other similar European locations.The project successfully tested the hypothesis that the integration of environmental issues in land use planning and management can be facilitated by the use of an holistic model which focuses on the realisation of regional ecological networks. The model has five, equally important and co-dependent elements or tasks: • Technical development of Geographical Information Systems and the application of landscape ecology principles • Assessing and influencing land use policy and instruments • Demonstrating integrated land management • Engaging stakeholders • Dissemination. The realisation of an ecological network has helped local authorities and land managers to integrate environmental considerations in land use planning and management. It is a targeting mechanism and aid to decision-making, providing a methodology for advancing nature conservation in Europe in ways that make ecological sense and are consistent with European Directives and initiatives. The model proposed can be easily applied in other similar European locations.