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European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System

Working Draft

Version 1.4 May 2014

Published by:

European Wilderness Society

 

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European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System

1.) Background Wilderness areas represent a vital element of Europe's natural and cultural heritage. In addition to their intrinsic value, they offer the opportunity for people to experience the spiritual quality of nature in the widest experiential sense - beyond mere physical and visual attributes, and in particular its psychological impact.

They also provide important economic, social and environmental benefits, including ecosystem services, for local communities, landholders and society at large.

Wilderness performs several functions better than modified landscapes. Among these are for example:

• Conserving Biodiversity.

• Protecting Ecosystem Services.

• Connecting Landscapes.

• Capturing and Storing Carbon Dioxide.

• Building Knowledge and Understanding of Natural Processes.

• Inspiring People.

The concept of wilderness has gained considerable momentum in Europe during the last 15 years. A milestone was the adoption of the “European Parliament Resolution on Wilderness in Europe” in February 2009, which calls on the European Commission to:

• Develop a clear definition of wilderness.

• Mandate the European Environment Agency to map existing wilderness areas in Europe.

• Undertake a study on the values and benefits of wilderness.

• Develop a EU wilderness strategy.

• Catalyse the development of new wilderness areas through restoration.

• Promote the values of wilderness together with NGOs & local communities.

The EU Member States were invited to exchange ‘best practices’ in managing wilderness, develop a code of conduct for tourism in wilderness areas, and to ensure the best protection of wilderness areas. Particular emphasis was given to how to best integrate the wilderness concept into the Birds and

 

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Habitats Directives, especially through the Natura2000 Network with wilderness areas having “a central place”.

In February 2009, the Wild Europe Initiative (WEI) started a collaborative effort to promote the wilderness concept amongst several European nature conservation organizations, such as PAN Parks, EUROPARC, WWF, BirdLife International, IUCN, UNESCO, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), European Centre for Nature Conservation (ECNC), Rewilding Europe, and including personnel from the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

In May 2009, more than 230 representatives from governments, conservation agencies, NGOs and academic institutions met in Prague at the “Conference on Wilderness and Large Natural Habitat Areas” developed by WEI and hosted by the Czech European Union Presidency and the European Commission. A key outcome was the “Message from Prague”, which contained 24 recommendations from the participants on policy, research, awareness raising, and partnerships concerning wilderness.

A definition of wilderness had been formulated for the Conference, and the Wilderness Working Group (WWG) of the Wild Europe Initiative was established to develop this as a practical entity. WWG workshops were held during 2010 and early 2011 with participation from several of the WEI partner organizations, which generated a first draft paper: the “Discussion Draft: A Working Definition of European Wilderness and Wild Areas”.

Leading up to the WILD10 Conference in Salamanca in 2013, the feedback of several members of the WWG, NGOs, and Government organisations plus the practical experience gathered during the first applications of these criteria in several test sites, led to an update of the criteria. This was especially needed since Germany developed an alternative definition to meets its objective of dedicating 2% of the landmass as wilderness. In addition Scandinavian countries as well as Scotland among others had difficulties implementing identifying wilderness areas meeting the WEI criteria.

2.) European Wilderness Definition Wilderness is for the purpose of the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System defined as:

Natural processes govern wilderness areas meeting the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System “Gold- or Platinum Standard”. They are composed of native habitats and species, and large enough for the effective ecological functioning of natural processes. They are unmodified or only slightly modified and without intrusive or extractive human activity, settlements, infrastructure or visual disturbance.

Wilderness areas meeting the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System “Bronze- or Silver Standards” have a high level of predominance of natural process and natural habitat. They tend to be individually smaller and more fragmented than the “Gold- or Platinum Standard” wilderness areas, although they often cover extensive tracts. The condition of their natural habitat, processes and relevant species is however often partially or substantially modified by human activities such as livestock herding, hunting, fishing, and collecting berries and mushrooms.

 

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3.) Wilderness Continuum True wilderness is extremely rare in Europe. While there are still primary wilderness areas across Europe, most areas need to be categorized as secondary wilderness. Researchers and Scientists developed the concept of the Wilderness Continuum to reflect the different stages an area can have and take on over time.

The degree to which an area is wild can be measured along a ‘continuum’ – with primary wilderness at one end and marginal agriculture and marginal forestry at the other.

The position of any particular area on this continuum is dependent on the degree of habitat and process modification, human impact etc. Wherever possible, it should progress over time along this continuum, through increased stages of naturalness towards a wilder state - as a result of restoration of its habitat, wildlife and natural processes. This restoration can occur purely through the actions of nature or with some initial human involvement.

Attainment of the “Gold Standard wilderness” is the ultimate goal wherever scale, biodiversity needs and geography permit.

 

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Despite of the lack of true wilderness areas in Europe there are still remote areas with minimal or extensive land use, exhibiting the potential to become over time wilderness areas. Keeping this in mind the European Wilderness Society came to the conclusion that this concept of the Wilderness Continuum should be used as the underlying basis to develop the European Wilderness Quality Standards and Audit System.

This continuum theory by Robert Leslie provides the underlying theoretical framework reflected in the different Standards of the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System. The Bronze Standard is basically a wild area, which is smaller in size and still has weaknesses when it comes to the protection of the natural processes. The Silver Standard is already larger in size and has moved along the wilderness continuum upwards toward being a primary wilderness. The Gold Standard is the former standard as defined in the “Working Definition of European Wilderness and Wild Areas“. The Platinum Standard has a larger and typical primary wilderness area.

4.) The Need for a Wilderness Standard One of the main reasons for the absence of a coordinated strategy on wilderness and large natural habitat areas in Europe is the lack of a common wilderness standard.

There are many different words for ‘wilderness’ and ‘wild’ and it is impossible to adequately promote, protect, restore an area if its qualities remain unclear, or are understood differently according to geographic location, individual perception or local culture.

It is important that any standard can thus be applied in operational circumstances. The European Wilderness Quality Standard provides wilderness areas with:

• Improved Compliance – The European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System is compliant with all recent and existing wilderness definitions currently applied in most European countries. This provides easy integration into national and regional policies.

• Safety and reliability – Adherence to the European Wilderness Quality Standards helps ensure visitor satisfaction, reliability and environmental care. As a result, visitors perceive wilderness areas as more dependable – this in turn raises visitor confidence, increasing visits and financial support.

• Improving effectiveness: The European Wilderness Quality Standard provides wilderness area managers with reliable third-party recommendations based upon a detailed SWOT analysis on the basis of a standard set of European wide accepted criteria and indicators.

• Support from government policies and legislation – Standards are frequently referenced by regulators and legislators for protecting users and business interests and to support government policies. Standards play a central role in the European Union's policy for a Single Market. Adherence to the European Wilderness Quality Standards will show the commitment to a common set of European values.

• Interoperability - The ability of wilderness areas to work together relies heavily on a common set of wilderness standards.

• Encourage Research – European Wilderness Quality Standards provides a solid foundation

 

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upon which scientists base their research and to enhance monitoring.

• Marketing possibilities – As more and more Wilderness areas adhere to the European Wilderness Quality Standards more visitors and wilderness advocates will support and promote wilderness publicly due to their increased awareness and confidence.

• European Wilderness Quality Standards reduce costs – Potential Wilderness Areas do not have to reinvent the wheel because all the basic criteria and indicators what defines a wilderness has already been defined. This ensures that new wilderness areas will support the same principles along with the existing wilderness network.

• Wilderness benefits from Standards- The European Wilderness Quality Standards sets minimum levels that classify wilderness according to several principles, criteria and a multitude of indicators. They provide benchmarks against which wilderness areas are audited. This gives the areas an incentive to improve their wilderness to gain an advantage. In turn this guarantees public access to more wilderness for future generations.

5.) The European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System The starting point for revision and the basis for the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System (EWQA) is the widely agreed upon “Discussion Draft: Definitions of Wilderness and Wild Areas” as developed by the Wild Europe Initiative. For the purpose of the communication strategy, we will be using the word ‘wilderness’ throughout all the categories. This word includes both types of areas – Wilderness and Wild Lands. The main objective of the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System (EWQA) and reflecting the theory of the wilderness continuum is to encourage smaller wild areas to restoring their wild lands while simultaneously rewarding the designation of large pristine wilderness areas.

This development was encouraged by the input of several leading European NGOs as well as government agencies and managers of protected areas including among others the Wilderness Research Institute, ECO Austria, WWF Austria, PAN Parks, WCPA, IUCN Europe and the Wild Europe, and the John Muir Trust Fund.

The objective of the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System is a widely accepted and applicable wilderness standard that serves as a basis for effective wilderness protection, designation, restoration, and promotion initiatives across a range of geographic and cultural circumstances in all European Countries. It provides an easily understood, unambiguous and attractive wilderness standard that can mobilize the necessary interest and support among practitioners and across key sectors of society.

The European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System fulfils several requirements:

• Compliance with the Wild Europe Initiative “Discussion Draft: Definitions and Criteria for Wilderness and Wild Areas”

• Compliance with the IUCN criteria for wilderness areas

 

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• Compliance with the PAN Parks criteria for wilderness areas

• Compliance with the definition of the Bundesamt für Naturschutz 2013, Germany

• Compliance with the wilderness continuum model of Robert Leslie

• Standardized Criteria for a Pan European Certification Process

• Compliance with the Verified Conservation Area (VCA) Council

6.) Wilderness Categories and their minimum size Four categories of areas are defined within the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System. Each category defines a specific Wilderness quality standard with a clear focus on wilderness values. Minimum size is ideally governed by multiple considerations that need to be considered collectively in determining the respective adherence to the Standard. In general the wilderness areas should meet a core zone with the below mentioned size.

• Bronze Wilderness Area – wilderness core zone of at least 1,000 ha.

• Silver Wilderness Area - wilderness core zone of at least 2,000 ha.

• Gold Wilderness Area - wilderness core zone of at least 3,000 ha. This category represents the minimum size recommended by the former “Working Definition of European Wilderness and Wild Areas”.

• Platinum Wilderness Area – wilderness core zone of at least 10,000 ha. This category represents the highest achievable level in the wilderness continuum.

7.) The Importance of Zoning Wilderness areas certified under the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System should have three ‘zones,’ with a core wilderness area surrounded by a buffer wild area of minimal activities, which in turn is surrounded by a transition semi wild area. It is considered that this threefold structure offers best protection of key wilderness principles whilst allowing potential for future expansion and flexible interaction with other land uses.

• The wilderness core area would have the ‘highest’ quality of wilderness, with depending on the certification level absolutely no or just minimal impact of human activity or infrastructure and a dominance of natural processes. Where feasible, outward expansion would occur over

 

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time through restoration into the buffer zone – particularly if the core zone is not large enough initially to allow complete ecological processes.

• The wilderness buffer area, with relatively low impact of human presence, surrounds and protects the core zone. Emphasis here should be on restoration of natural habitats and processes, with phasing out of built structures and high impact activities within five to ten years. Where feasible, there should be plans for it to be incorporated into the core zone and expand outwards over time into the transition zone.

• The wilderness transition area is an area where a range of human activities is permitted, but with management controls preventing development of major infrastructure, wind farms or large scale clear felling, that might significantly alter the landscape or natural environment. Sustainable harvesting is possible of timber, animals (hunting & fishing) and plants (berries, fruits, mushrooms), together with organic agriculture.

8.) The Audit System and Wilderness SWOT Report All wilderness areas are audited on the following principles and criteria of the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System. Over the last 14 years a set of almost 200 Indicators have been identified and are being audited and verified. The audit is repeated in general every 10 years and supports with its analysis the monitoring of the wilderness area. It also contains a detailed analysis of the strengths, weaknesses. The criteria fall into these seven principles:

• Wilderness and Extractive Uses: “Gold- and Platinum Standard” Level areas should not have any human extractive use. At the “Bronze- and Silver Standard” Level a phase out plan for extractive use should be put into place. Also covered under this principle are fire control, disease control, and invasive species control.

• Wilderness Restoration: In general a plan must be in place for all “Bronze- and Silver Standard” areas to restore wilderness with the focus on low human intervention. In the “Gold- and Platinum Standard” areas, wilderness restoration is typically implemented in the buffer zone for later expansion.

• Wilderness Disturbance: Here the focus lies on the removal of infrastructure, well-planned tourism access and limited road access especially in the “Gold- and Platinum Standard” areas.

• Wilderness Research and Monitoring: This principle requests a detailed plan for scientific research and cooperation in cooperation with scientific institutions and universities regardless of the EWQA Wilderness Standard level.

• International Relevance: The audit of the international relevance focuses mainly on the IUCN categories, Natura2000 Network, UNESCO designations but also accepts others certifications.

• Wilderness Management Plan: This plan encompasses the different Wilderness conservation measures, a biodiversity management plan, and a plan for supporting the natural processes, a landscape management and the training of the responsible wilderness

 

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management team.

• Wilderness Size and Zoning: In general a wilderness area should have three different zones. In cases where these cannot be implemented additional measures to ensure the protection of the wilderness core zone must be implemented.

The results of the European Wilderness Quality Standard and Audit System is a detailed wilderness assessment report including a detailed SWOT analysis on the basis of a standard set of European widely accepted wilderness principles, criteria and more than 200 indicators. This report provides the management team of the wilderness area with a detailed plan including action items recommended by the auditors to improve the Wilderness Quality. This report can also be used for the European reporting requirement for monitoring purposes.

 

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Standard Platinum Gold Silver Bronze

Logo

Principle and Criteria

Quality Standard

1. Wilderness and Extractive uses

1.1. Wilderness area has no extractive uses

√ √

1.2. Wilderness management has a plan to monitor any activities and extractive uses in wilderness area

√ √ √ √

1.3. Wilderness area has a plan to monitor any activities and impact of subsistence use of indigenous people

√ √

1.4. Wilderness area has no forestry operation

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation and with a plan to remove forestry operation five

years after the first EWS certification

Allowed under very strict regulation and with a plan to remove forestry operation five years after the first EWS certification

1.5. Wilderness area has no game management

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with plan to remove game

management five years after the first EWS

certification.

Allowed under very strict regulation with plan to remove game

management ten years after the first EWS

certification.

1.6. Wilderness area has no extractive fish management

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove regulation five years after the first EWS

certification.

Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove regulation five years after the first

EWS certification.

 

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1.7. Wilderness area has no active mining

√ √ √ √

1.8. Wilderness area has restored old mining sites

√ √ Allowed on-going restoration

Allowed on-going restoration

1.9. Park management has a restoration plan of old mining sites

√ √

1.10. Wilderness area has no domestic livestock grazing

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with plan to Transition from domestic to wild- living herbivores five years after the first EWS certification.

Allowed under very strict regulation with plan to Transition from domestic to wild- living herbivores ten years after the first EWS certification.

1.11. Wilderness zone has no crop agriculture

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with plan to remove crop agriculture five years

after the first EWS certification.

Allowed under very strict regulation with plan to remove crop

agriculture five years after the first EWS certification.

1.12. Wilderness zone has no deadwood collection

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove regulation five years after the first EWS

certification

Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove regulation ten years after the first

EWS certification

1.13. Wilderness zone has no commercial collecting berries, nuts and mushrooms

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove collection of berries, nuts and

mushrooms five years after the first EWS

certification

Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove collection of berries, nuts and

mushrooms five years after the first EWS

certification

1.14. Wilderness area has fire control plan

√ √ Fire control plan will be developed

Fire control plan will be developed

1.15. Wilderness area has disease control plan

√ √ Disease control plan will be developed

Disease control plan will be developed in

 

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1.16. Wilderness area has invasive species control plan

√ √ Invasive species control management plan will be

developed

Invasive species control management plan will be

developed

2. Wilderness Restoration

2.1. Wilderness area has a wilderness restoration plan to enlarge the core zone

√ √

2.2. Wilderness management will develop a wilderness restoration action plan

√ √

3. Wilderness Disturbance

3.1. Wilderness area has no permanent settlements

√ √ No new permanent settlement.

No new permanent settlement.

3.2. Wilderness area has a strategy how to deal with temporary structures

√ √ Strategy how to deal with temporary structures

will be developed

Strategy how to deal with temporary structures will

be developed

3.3. Wilderness area has a strategy how to deal with archaeological remains.

√ √ Strategy how to deal with archaeological remains will be

developed

Strategy how to deal with archaeological remains

will be developed

3.4. Wilderness area has a strategy how to deal with inherited settlements in wilderness zone

√ √ Strategy how to deal with inherited settlements

will be developed

Strategy how to deal with inherited settlements

will be developed

3.5. Wilderness area has a strategy how to deal with inherited traditional gathering sites required by indigenous peoples to practice their traditional reindeer herding in Nordic countries

√ √

 

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3.6. Wilderness area has no permanent infrastructure

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove permanent

infrastructure five years after the first EWS

certification

Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove permanent

infrastructure ten years after the first EWS

certification

3.7. Wilderness area has footpaths with the minimal markings

√ √ √ √

3.8. Wilderness area has no fencing.

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove fencing five years after the first

EWS certification

Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove fencing 5 years after the first EWS

certification

3.9. Wilderness area has no use of motorized transport

√ √ Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove motorized transport

five years after the first EWS certification

Allowed under very strict regulation with

plan to remove motorized transport five years after the first EWS certification

3.10. Wilderness area has free access on foot

√ √ √ √

3.11. Wilderness area has clear rules on the use of horses

√ √ √ √

3.12. Wilderness area has a clear rules on the use of dog leads

√ √ √ √

3.13. Wilderness area has clear rules on tourism and recreation activities, with strict ‘leave no trace’ rules.

√ √ √ √

3.14. Wilderness zone has integrated tourism and recreation activities to wilderness concept

√ √ √ √

4. Wilderness Research and Monitoring

 

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4.1. Wilderness management has a plan and already implement wilderness research

√ √ Wilderness research plan will be developed five years after the first

EWS certification

Wilderness research plan will be developed five years after the first

EWS certification

4.2. Wilderness area has a plan for wilderness monitoring

√ √ Wilderness research plan will be developed five years after the first

EWS certification

Wilderness research plan will be developed five years after the first

EWS certification

5. International relevance

5.1. Wilderness area is internationally recognized

√ √ There is a plan to develop proposal for

international recognition five years

after the first EWS certification

There is a plan to develop proposal for international

recognition ten years after the first EWS

certification

5.2. Wilderness area is part of Natura 2000 network (where relevant)

√ √ √ √

5.3. Wilderness area supports protection of internationally threatened species?

√ √ √ √

6. Wilderness Management Plan

6. 1. Wilderness area has a clearly defined boundary

√ √ Boundary of wilderness will be defined five

years after the first EWS certification

Boundary of wilderness will be defined five years

after the first EWS certification

6. 2. Wilderness area has a long-term vision

√ √ Long-term vision will be developed five years

after the first EWS certification

Long-term vision will be developed ten years after the first EWS certification

6. 3. Long-term vision defines an aspiration to enlarge wilderness area

To preferably 20,000

ha

To preferably 10,000

ha

To preferably 3,000 ha

To preferably 2,000 ha

6. 4. Wilderness area has a wilderness management plan

√ √ Plan is under the development

Plan will be developed five years after the first

EWS certification

 

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6.5. Wilderness area has a plan to maintain natural dynamics in biodiversity

√ √ Plan is under the development

Plan will be developed five years after the first

EWS certification

6.6. Wilderness area contributes to the conservation of wilderness indicative species

√ √ √ √

6.7. Wilderness area has a plan to restore natural processes where possible

√ √ Restoration plan is under the development

Restoration plan will be developed five years after the first EWS certification

6.8. Wilderness area contain examples of undisturbed ecosystems

√ √ √ √

7. Wilderness Size and Zoning.

7.1. The minimum size of wilderness core area

At least 10,000 ha At least 3,000 ha At least 2,000 ha At least 1,000 ha

7.2. Wilderness areas should be categorised into three ‘zones,’ (core, buffer and transition zone)

√ A buffer zone is not

mandatory but recommended.

√ A buffer zone is recommended.

Zoning plan is under the development. A buffer

zone is strongly recommended.

Zoning plan will be developed five years after the first EWS certification.

A buffer zone is strongly recommended.