EU Nature Protection Legislation – Focus on Site Protection

The Member States shall, within Natura 2000, take appropriate conservation measures to maintain and restore the habitats and species for which the site has been designated to a favourable conservation status, given that this is constitute the ultimate conservation objective of the Directive.

Conservation Objectives:

• 1. The overall objective of achieving FCS can only be considered at an appropriate level, such as for example the national or the biogeographical level.
• 2. This general objective needs to be translated into site level conservation objectives which define the conservation targets to be achieved within the respective sites in order to optimize their contribution to achieving FCS at the national, biogeographical or European level.

Therefore, it is clear that Natura 2000 is not only an obligation of site designation. It constitutes part of the legal requirements for real – and planned – conservation. The Directives make it clear that conservation objectives should be met while taking into account the economic, social, cultural, regional and recreational requirements. It is for Member States to establish the most appropriate methods and instruments for implementing the Directives and for achieving the conservation objectives of Natura 2000 sites.

Therefore, the sites designated under the Habitats Directive must be managed, conserved and protected in accordance with all the provisions of Article 6 of the said Directive. Paragraphs 6(2), 6(3) and 6(4) also apply to SPAs protected under the Birds Directive (ref. Article 7 of Habitats Directive) while the management of SPAs is governed by the provisions of Article 4(1) and Article 4(2) of the Birds Directive.