Natura 2000 an opportunity for or an obstacle to development

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Natura 2000 an opportunity for or an obstacle
to development
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Cllr. Harry Jensen Central Denmark Region
Cultural heritage
Nature Heritage
Regional development
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Summary

• Nature protection is necessary.
• Nature protection areas are often situated in
  peripheral areas with low population density.
• Intentions of Nature protection are implemented
  as a burden to a very small part of the
  population.

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• It is national economic and industrial
  development that has created the need to protect
  endangered species.

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• The effect of nature protection that comes from
  the legitimate wish from the entire population,
  is concentrated on few people that live in
  marginal areas

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• Therefore the local culture and local needs
  should be taken into consideration, when EU and
  the member states want to protect nature.

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What are the marginal areas?

• Member States may classify certain areas as
  marginal after consultation with the Commission.
• May qualify as marginal areas
• Areas beset by severe and permanent natural or
  demographic handicaps (such as defined by article
  III.220 of the proposed Constitutionnal Treaty)
• Areas where the use of natural resources is
  part of a threathened local tradition and
  cultural heritage
• Areas threathened by demographic decline

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• The directive as such takes
• into account
• Ecological (detailed demands)
• Scientific and (detailed demands)
• Cultural points of view (only in principle).

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But

• The habitat directive does not ensure that the
  interests of local people is taken into
  consideration, when the planning is carried out
  and the decions of management are made!

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What can be done!

• Any closed/protected area
• Has a clear and detailed description of how the
  protection of endangered species and types of
  nature should be carried out
• Any closed/protected area should also
• Have a clear and detailed description of how the
  protection of habitat areas effect local people.
• Be re-evaluated every 6 years based on monitoring
  of nature.
• With the possibility of increasing or reducing
  levels of protection. And
• With the possibility of adjusting the balance
  between protection and local people.

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• Local people should be empowered
• to have influence on their own nature.

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• particular attention should be paid to ()
  regions which suffer from severe and permanent
  natural or demographic handicaps such as the
  northernmost regions with very low population
  density and island, cross-border and mountain
  regions.
• Article III.220

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Marginal areas to be taken into consideration

• Low density of population.
• Zero or negative development in population
  density.
• Use of natural resources is a historically based
  part of the culture of the population.

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Cllr. Harry Jensen Central Denmark Region

• In practice there seems to be a contradiction
  between EU Nature Protection Policy and EU
  Regional Development Policy.
• We must solve this problem - and remember that
  the success of Nature protection depend strongly
  on the close involvement of local stakeholders
  and communities.

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Habitats dir. Art. 2.
1. The aim of this Directive shall be to
contribute towards ensuring bio-diversity through
the conservation of natural habitats and of
wild fauna and flora in the European territory of
the Member States to which the Treaty applies. 2.
Measures taken pursuant to this Directive shall
be designed to maintain or restore, at favourable
conservation status, natural habitats and species
of wild fauna and flora of Community interest. 3.
Measures taken pursuant to this Directive shall
take account of economic, social and cultural
requirements and regional and local
characteristics.
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• But when it comes to implementation only
• bird and habitat protection is taken into
  consideration
• The member states have an obligation to meet
  objective ornithological criteria. It means that
  a bird protection area is not a decision, it is a
  fact.
• Within bird protection (habitat) areas, and
  buffer zones, member states must act to prevent
  harmful activities of any kind. There is no lower
  limit to what could be considered harmful.
• Member states has no obligation to describe the
  effect on local people of the planning and action
  carried out to protect nature.

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What can be done ?

• Take into account the interests of the population
  of the peripheral areas, when bird protection and
  habitat areas are established.
• Take into account the interests of the population
  in the planning and administration of the areas.