Under the provisions of the EU Habitats Directive, conservation means a series of measures required to maintain or restore the natural habitats and the populations of species of wild fauna and flora at a favourable status. In the case of habitats, habitats of concern are: (a) are in danger of disappearance in their natural range; or (b) have a small natural range following their regression or by reason of their intrinsically restricted area; or (c) present outstanding examples of typical characteristics of one or more of the five following biogeographical regions: Alpine, Atlantic, Continental, Macronesian and Mediterranean.
The Principle of ecological integrity holds that the ecological processes responsible for the survival of species should be protected and the habitats on which their survival depends maintained (Principle 6 of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy).