Europe's biodiversity in pictures - Living Parks: 100 Years of National Parks in Europe

17 December 2010 Europe’s national parks are part of the continent’s complex system of protected areas. The reason for their creation, their purpose and history, their management, size and the species that they protect may differ — yet, for the past 100 years, they have been reservoirs of biodiversity; sources of water, cultural and economic assets; and places of recreation and spiritual replenishment. They all face similar challenges in their management today but remain the living repositories of Europe’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations.

This book was created by the EUROPARC Federation to celebrate 100 years of national parks in Europe. It marks the centenary of European national parks since the first nine were established in 1909 in Sweden. The book takes its readers on a journey through the last 100 years of national park history. It looks at what national parks are and examines their past, present and future. Detailed profiles of the first parks, founded in many European countries, highlight the diversity, beauty and complexity of these green gems.

The EUROPARC Federation is the largest non-governmental organisation representing national parks and other protected areas across Europe. Together, the members of the EUROPARC Federation are committed to the protection and sustainable management of Europe’s natural heritage. Nature knows no boundaries and EUROPARC facilitates international co-operation to further improve and conserve our shared natural heritage and to ensure the values and benefits of protected areas are at the heart of Europe.

Living Parks is available to purchase for 14.90€ from Oekom publishing house or from amazon.de or amazon.co.uk.

More information from office@europarc.org

LIFE+ 'European Week for Waste Reduction' (2010): over 4300 actions

15 December 2010 As the year draws to a close, the LIFE+ Information & Communication project, the “European Week for Waste Reduction – EWWR” (LIFE07 INF/F/000185), reports that over 4300 waste prevention actions have been implemented across the EU.

A host of different EWWR activities were carried out, on 20-28 November 2010, in 23 EU countries – from simple emails listing waste prevention tips, to exhibitions, artwork and other competitions (see the list of actions on the EWWR website). The aim was to draw people’s attention (on the street, at school, work or in the supermarket etc), and make them think about waste prevention and alter their behaviour.

Commenting on the success of the initiative, project beneficiary, ADME (the French environment and energy management agency) says: “This result confirms the success of the European Week for Waste Reduction and demonstrates that the event is following the same path as other famous thematic ‘European Weeks’.”

The most interesting actions (2010) will be selected for the EWWR Awards to be held in the evening of 28 March 2011.

Meanwhile, one of the more original actions to be organised this year was the Portuguese-led Europe-wide ‘BatucaMob’ percussion event – involving the coordination of groups of people in different countries coming together at the same time (at 11 am on Saturday, 20 November) to drum empty waste bins, trash cans and other containers.  

Next year’s EWWR will be held on 19- 27 November 2011. A call for the appointment of the official oganisers will be launched at the beginning of 2011. For more information, see the website (link above) or contact the secretariat: contact@ewwr.eu.

Invasive Species Bulletin: Angelo Salsi affirms LIFE+ support for IAS

13 December 2010 Angelo Salsi, Head of the European Commission DG Environment’s LIFE Nature Unit, highlights the relevance of the LIFE+ funding tool for projects targeting invasive species management in Europe – in the latest issue of the newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group.

In an interview (see page 64) in “Aliens: the Invasive Species Bulletin”, Mr Salsi talks to newsletter co-editor Riccardo Scalera, programme officer of the ISSG, about the relation between LIFE+ and invasive alien species (IAS).

An assessment of the contribution of LIFE in tackling the problems caused by the spread of IAS has shown that during the years 1992-2006, LIFE supported almost 200 projects dedicated to reducing or eliminating their threats, for over 44 million euro (Scalera 2010).

Outlining the background to the LIFE programme, which is currently in its 4th generation called LIFE+ (2007-2013), Mr Salsi commented: “LIFE has been and still is a very important vehicle to deliver effective mitigation, control and eradication of many IAS.”

He said the LIFE programme financed “single actions” part of a larger project or whole projects aimed at IAS. “In most cases these action and projects consist of concrete actions, but investigations or preparatory works needed to execute control or even eradication actions are not excluded.”

Emphasizing that “all sectors of LIFE can be useful for IAS”, he added that under LIFE+ Nature, projects can target IAS impacting on Natura 2000 sites and species listed in the Habitats Directive. Under LIFE+ Biodiversity it is possible for projects to cover other aspects related to the impact of IAS on biodiversity beyond Natura 2000.  In addition, under LIFE+ Environment, IAS projects addressing their impact on other environmental policies “could be fit”; while under LIFE+ Information campaigns, information activities and training can be financed.

As an example, another article (see page 59) reports on a new LIFE+ Nature project targeting raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) management in Scandinavia. The raccoon dog is an invasive species native to eastern Asia that was introduced as a fur game species to the western parts of the Soviet Union in the 1930s-1950s. Apart from causing ecological damage to the native fauna in colonized areas in Europe, the raccoon dog is also one of the main vectors of rabies in Europe and an important vector of several parasites dangerous to humans. The three-year project (LIFE09 NAT/SE/000344) aims to prevent the invasive raccoon dog from establishing in those Nordic countries it has not already invaded. Eradication and reduction will, to a large extent be achieved, by using innovative methods for culling and management developed in an earlier national project.

Both articles can be downloaded (pdf format) in the electronic version of the newsletter, Issue No: 30, 2010 at the ISSG website (go to the ‘publications’ page).

Public consultation on the future EU co-financing of Natura 2000 Network

December 2010- February 2011The European Commission plans to issue a new Communication on financing Natura 2000, foreseen for mid 2011, in collaboration with Member States, to assess whether the integration approach to financing NATURA 2000 has been adequate for the effective implementation of the network. As an essential input to this process, the Commission has just launched an online public consultation to gather the views of different stakeholders aiming to identify ways of enhancing the success of financing Natura 2000.

The consultation is addressed to public authorities, the private sector, environmental stakeholders and interested citizens in general. This common exercise will provide a valuable opportunity to share experiences and draw lessons from the current integration model.

The consultation is in the form of a series of 10 questions, and you also have the possibility to participate with open answers and comments to the questions. The consultation will be closed on the 17th of February 2011.

More information on financing the Natura 2000 network on the DG Environment's Financing Natura 2000 website.

Click here to access the online consultation

Information Sessions on the LIFE+ Programme 2011 Call for Proposals

08 December 2010The European Commission will publish the fifth Call for Proposals under the LIFE+ Programme in February 2011, with up to €265.360 million available across the EU for co-financing projects under three headings: nature and biodiversity; environment policy and governance; and information and communication.

Between 28.02.2011 and 08.04.2011, the European Commission, in conjunction with STELLA Consulting and MWH, will organise an Information Session on the LIFE+ Programme in each EU Member State. The Information Sessions will provide an overview of the LIFE+ Programme, as well as highlighting changes in the 2011 Call to simplify as far as possible the application process.

All Sessions will include a presentation for newcomers to LIFE+, as well as presentations for those who have already some experience. Depending on your experience, it is possible to register for one part or the other, or both. There will be the possibility to ask questions and, where possible, successful applicants to the LIFE+ or LIFE Programmes will also make presentations. The Sessions are also the ideal opportunity to meet with other organisations interested in putting together an application, to discuss lessons learned from previous Calls, as well as to meet any official representatives of the Commission or Member State authority who might attend.

In 2010, the Sessions reached almost 2,000 participants across all 27 EU Member States. Participants came from a wide range of organisations, from national Ministries and municipalities, through environmental NGOs and consultancies, to universities and research organisations. The aim was to go beyond the typical LIFE+ audience, and to reach organisations who did not know about LIFE+ before, but who could benefit from it to solve a particular environmental problem.

It is already possible to register to participate in several of the 2011 Sessions, by visiting the Information Sessions 2011 page on the LIFE website. Information on how to register for the other Sessions will be published over the coming weeks. The Information Sessions will be held in the national language of each country (except Malta and Ireland, where the Sessions will be in English, and there will be two workshops in Belgium, one in French and one in Dutch).

You will find more information on the 2011 Call published in our news section as it becomes available.