Belgian Nature Integrated Project

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The Habitats Directive Article 17 and Birds Directive Article 12 report, published in 2007, revealed the unfavourable conservation status in Belgium of many habitats and species listed in these directives. The main drivers identified were inappropriate land use, low environmental quality, insufficient management and under-resourced conservation capacity. The Flemish and Walloon regions drafted prioritised action frameworks (PAFs) for the Natura 2000 network, to help achieve favourable conservation status by 2050 for all habitats and species.

The Flemish region set out nature conservation objectives (NCOs) to create an additional 41 000 to 55 000 ha of European protected habitats, and 4 000 to 7 000 ha of habitat for species of European interest. To reach these objectives, clear targets are set out in the Flemish PAF. The Walloon PAF is the centrepiece of the Walloon nature conservation strategy. It focuses on 10 priority and 23 non-priority for conservation habitats and various species of Community interest associated with these habitats, including bats and farmland species. The PAF also supports the Walloon biodiversity strategy in relation to the Natura 2000 network.

The Belgian part of the North Sea is governed by the federal state, and the federal PAF deals with the development and implementation of the marine Natura 2000 programme. The marine Natura 2000 sites cover 36% of the Belgian North Sea, where the most important habitats are sandbanks and reefs.

OBJECTIVES

The Belgian nature Integrated project (BNIP) will develop and manage the operational planning for the implementation of the Flemish and Walloon region’s PAFs, and the execution of the Natura 2000 objectives of the Flemish, Walloon and federal governments. The objective of the integrated project is not to achieve all the objectives of the PAFs, but to contribute to their implementation by developing tools and expertise, enhancing involvement of administrations, strengthening participation and empowering stakeholders. The idea is that these outcomes for pilot restoration practices and management can be replicated in other Natura 2000 sites. In addition to sites in the Flemish and Walloon regions, the project will realise the targets identified in the federal marine PAF and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive for achieving favourable conservation status of species and habitats.

The overall thematic objectives are:

The establishment of Natura 2000 programme structure and management;

The development of habitats and species action plans and site management plans;

Capacity building through expertise with relevant approaches and tools;

The implementation of communication tools to increase involvement among stakeholders;

The creation of technical instruments and tools, such like databases;

Initiation of projects for a subset of action and management plans; and

The biological monitoring and socio-economic surveys that lead to a better knowledge of habitats and species, and ecosystem functioning and services.

 

In addition to the integrated project budget itself, the project will facilitate the coordinated use of €203 million of complementary funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European regional Development Fund (ERDF), and national and private funds, as applicable.