Protecting sites of great ecological value

The setting up of networks of sites of great ecological value and in particular of protected areas at local, regional, national and international level is fundamental to the conservation of biological and landscape diversity.

Links between the protected sites are necessary and should extend to all categories of protected sites.

The Contracting Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio, 1992) undertook to set up a system of protected areas in order to conserve biological diversity, and to co-operate among themselves to preserve this diversity. The Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (Sofia, 1995) serves as a European frame of reference for the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern, 1979) and Directive 92/43/EEC of the Council of the European Communities on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora, as amended by Directive 97/62/EC promote habitat protection.

1. It is necessary to formulate administrative and legal guidelines for transfrontier and inter-territorial co-operation between protected sites. The level of conservation should be appropriate to the ecological needs and the administrative bodies of the countries concerned. Co-operation and links between protected sites are necessary and should extend to all categories of protected sites.

1. Promoting cross-border regional biodiversity conservation
2. Preserving natural ecosystems
3. Preserving ecological diversity
4. Networking protected biodiversity sites
5. Managing natural areas

1. Training protected natural area managers
2. Protecting farming systems of high nature value
3. Protecting against vulnerability of protected natural areas
4. Prohibiting hunting of protected and endangered species
5. Listing protected natural areas
6. Designating conservation status
7. Creating wildlife corridors

1. Improving wild animal management

1. Managing globally outstanding natural areas
2. Evaluating management of biodiversity protected areas
3. Ensuring comprehensive system of protected areas
4. Campaigning about biodiversity issues

1. Studying European issues
2. Promoting biodiversity management outside protected areas
3. Establishing zones for sustainable development