Human Activities in Natura 2000 Sites: A Highly Diversified Conservation Network

• Published in: Environmental management (New York) Vol. 51; no. 5; pp. 1025 - 1033
• Main Authors: Tsiafouli, Maria A., Apostolopoulou, Evangelia, Mazaris, Antonios D., Kallimanis, Athanasios S., Drakou, Evangelia G., Pantis, John D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.05.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation; Conservation biology; Conservation of Natural Resources; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental Management; Environmental policy; environmental sustainability; European Union; Forestry; Forestry Management; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; General aspects; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Human; Human Activities; Human influences; Humans; issues and policy; Keywords; landscapes; Livestock; Mining; Nature Conservation; Networks; Policies; Sustainability; Synecology; Tourism; transportation; Urbanization; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; European Union; Protected areas; Birds directive; Agriculture; Habitats directive; Biodiversity; Conservation policy; Environmental policy; Conservation; Protected area; Diversification; Environmental management; Vertebrata; Natural environment; Human activity; Biological heritage; European Union; Network; Habitat; Aves; Anthropogenic factor; Environmental protection
• ISSN: 0364-152X; 1432-1009; 1432-1009
• DOI: 10.1007/s00267-013-0036-6

The Natura 2000 network was established across the European Union’s (EU) Member States with the aim to conserve biodiversity, while ensuring the sustainability of human activities. However, to what kind and to what extent Natura 2000 sites are subject to human activities and how this varies across Member States remains unspecified. Here, we analyzed 111,269 human activity records from 14,727 protected sites in 20 Member States. The frequency of occurrence of activities differs among countries, with more than 86 % of all sites being subjected to agriculture or forestry. Activities like hunting, fishing, urbanization, transportation, and tourism are more frequently recorded in south European sites than in northern or eastern ones. The observed variations indicate that Natura 2000 networks are highly heterogeneous among EU Member States. Our analysis highlights the importance of agriculture in European landscapes and indicates possible targets for policy interventions at national, European, or “sub-European” level. The strong human presence in the Natura 2000 network throughout Member States, shows that conservation initiatives could succeed only by combining social and ecological sustainability and by ensuring the integration of policies affecting biodiversity.