Royal Haskoning

ESPON project 1.3.2.

Territorial trends of the Management of the

Natural Heritage

Nijmegen, 11 - 12 Oct. 2004

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Projects core group:

• EuroNet – Royal Haskoning (lead partner), Utrecht, Netherlands;

• European Centre for Nature Conservation (ECNC), Tilburg, Netherlands;

• EuroNet – Enviplan, Athens, Greece ;• EuroNet – Land Use Consultants, London, UK ; and• EuroNet – Territoires, Sites & Cités, Lumbres (Lille),

France.

With contributions from:• Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestale (Italy);• Eastern Norway Research Institute (Norway);• EuroNet – Taller de Ideas (Spain);• Peter Bassin (Slovenia); • Institute of Environmental and Landscape

Management,• Heriot Watt university, School of the built

environment (Scotland); Szent Istvan University(KTI), (Hungary); and

• ACER, Jelka Hudoklin (Slovenia).

Plus the respondents to the questionnaire.

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• Key messages / results;

• Main maps;

• Key policy recommendations;

• Achievements;

• Networking;

• Further research / improvements available.

Content of presentation

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MACRO:

• EU policy stimulated land take for intensive use: decreased semi-natural area and biodiversity;

• CAP reform stimulates rural development: turn of processes;

MESO:

• National agr. policy strongly dependent from EU policy

MICRO:

• Rural development (CAP) includes landscape and nature protection, affects local/regional natural heritage.

Findings in DPSIR: agriculture - nature

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Findings in DPSIR: Socio econ. - nature

MACRO:

• EU policies on social/economic coherence aim at equal developments over EU territory, balanced development (ESDP) aims at differentiated solutions.

MESO:

• National soc-econ. policies are not focussed at balanced development (apart from few national spatial plans).

MICRO:

• Local and regional initiatives decrease variety of local and regional natural heritage.

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Findings in DPSIR: Infrastructure - nature

MACRO:

• Equal (road) accessibility as prerequisite for economic development stimulates spreading of developments.

MESO:

• Facilities for mobility follow urbanisation and enhance further suburbanisation, causing pressure on valuable landscapes.

MICRO:

• Main infrastructure causes fragmentation of semi-natural areas;

• Facilitating local accessibility results in soil sealing;

• Improved accessibility at the cost of natural values.

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Findings in DPSIR: Impacts - nature

• During ages a constant decrease of semi-/natural areas and number of species has taken place.

• Semi-natural area is fragmented.

The European Natural Heritage

consist of remains of semi-nature.

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MACRO:

• Environmental legislation.• Birds/Habitat directive, Natura 2000,

ESDP (too new to show results).MESO:

• National nature protection/landscapes;• Few integral national spatial plans,

growing acknowledgement of importance of integrated regional planning.

MICRO:

• Growing need for integrated regional strategic co-ordination.

Findings in DPSIR: policy Response - nature

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Main maps: Fragmentation index for NUTS3

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Main maps: Percentage semi-natural area compared to urban pressure

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Main maps: Percentage semi-natural area related to road density

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Main maps: Percentage semi-natural area compared to changes in GDP (1995-2000)

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Main maps: Comparison of flood risk to the percentage semi-natural area

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Spatial planning systems and protection of natural heritage

Is the protection of your country’s natural heritage integrated into the spatial planning system of your country?

YES 80,95%

YES PARTLY 4,76%

TO A GREAT EXTENT 4,76%

YES TO SOME DEGREE 4,76%NOT YET 4,76%

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Example: Potentials and threats in EU based on networks

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Key recommendations

GENERAL:

1. Consider locations of WFD projects as opportunities for natural heritage.

2. Explore the value for future developments of nature and landscapes.

MACRO:

3. Identify the crossings of urban development axes and the ecological network.

MESO:

4. Pay extra attention to balanced development in the overlaps of both networks.

MICRO:

5. Give priority to nature on locations of strategic importance for the coherence of the ecological network.

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Indicators:

Aspect: Criteria:

Agriculture Size of agricultural area

Population Population density

Population change

Economy GDP

GDP change

Innovation

Tourism Bed density

Change nr. of beds

Infrastructure Road density

Urban pressure Population density, GDP, bed density, road density

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Indicators:

Aspect: Criteria:

Built up MEGA’s,

size built-up area

Hazard Flood risk

Nature Size of the semi-natural area

Fragmentation of natural area

Fragmentation index

Protected areas Location of areas according to IUCN-categories

Plus: importance of considering sites within context of regional typology.

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Regional typology: MACRO

Boreal

Continental

Atlantic

Alpine

Mediterranean

Pannonian

Inside

Pentagon

Outside Pentagon

CEEIsland in periphery

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Regional typology: MESO

Inside

Natura 2000 / Emerald network

Outside

Natura 2000 / Emerald network

Inside

development axis

Outside

development axis

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Regional typology: MICRO

(protected) natural area or cultural landscape

Open space with low or mediocre natural value

In or close to MEGA

In or close to FUA

Rural area outside FUA

Old industrial site

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Further research issues

• Trend analyses (land cover).

• Identification of potential conflict areas, urban development vs ecological network.

• Nature as an asset for attracting economic activities.

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Improvement of data availability

• Complete Corine 2000 dataset

• Location of agricultural intensification/abandonment

• Statistical data, such as bed density data for all EU27, preferably since 1950

• Long term trends for indicators developed.

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Networking with other projects:

• Polycentricity project 1.1.1

• Hazards project 1.3.1

• Transport project 2.1.1

• Agriculture project 2.1.3

• Urban rural relations project 1.1.2