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SURF-Nature How can the project support local
stakeholders? Insight and Preliminary Results
Peter Tramberend Environment Agency Austria
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Content

• SURF Project
• Analysis of operational programmes
• Thematic booklets
• Upcoming acitivites
• Conclusion

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History of SURF-Nature 1/2

• 2004 EU communication on the Financing of Natura
  2000
• support in conservation and sustainable use of
  biodiversity became more pronounced
• For the first time the European Regional
  Development Fund (ERDF) 2007-2013 contains
  options for financing natural heritage,
  biodiversity and nature conservation, (including
  Natura 2000)
• Stop the loss of biodiversity 2010 - Target

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History of SURF-Nature 2/2

• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2007
  -2013
• about 3 billions to support the protection of
  biodiversity and nature conservation measures
• can be accessed by a wide range of stakeholders
• activities need to be linked with the broader
  development of the area
• a large number and variety of opportunities for
  financing nature conservation
• great potential to learn from each others
  approaches
• Project idea for SURF-Nature developed in
  2008

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Key facts

• 14 partners from 10 countries in Europe
• Austria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy,
  Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, UK
• Authorities and public bodies responsible for
  implementation, experienced in applying for ERDF
• Lead partner Environment Agency Austria
• Projekt coordination WWF-Germany
• Project Programme Interreg VIc
• Duration Jan 2010 Dec 2012

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General objectives

• Improve regional policies and practices for
  nature conservation and biodiversity
• by increasing the opportunities for and the
  impacts of financing nature conservation measures
  from ERDF funds

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Further objectives

• Identify and analyse different approaches in
  different regions
• Establish a network of experts
• Raise awareness and knowledge among stakeholders
• Improve the quality of future nature conservation
  projects
• Positively influence the strategic planning and
  funding allocation for 2014
• www.surf-nature.eu

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Target groups

• national, regional and local authorities from
  environmental protection, nature conservation and
  biodiversity
• national, regional and local authorities for
  regional development
• managing authorities e.g. protected areas
• special interest groups e.g. tourism
• project applicants

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Analysis of Operational ProgrammesResults
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Cohesion policy
Objective
Fund
Convergence
ERDF
ESF
CF
Regional Competitiveness
ERDF
ESF
Territorial Cooperation
ERDF

• ERDF European Regional Development Fund
• ESF European Social Fund
• CF Cohesion Fund

• Convergence growth and employment in less
  developed MS and regions
• Region. Competitiveness employment,
  attractiveness
• Terr. Cooperation all regions

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Cohesion policy
Level
Policy stage
EU
Community strategic guidelines on cohesion
Member State
National strategic reference framework
Member State/Regions
Operational programmes (OP)

• OP define the priorities of member state/regions
  and the way of the implementation
• Current period 335 OPs for ERDF are adopted by EU
  Commmission

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Analysis of Operational Programms

• 46 Operational Programmes referring the partner
  regions analysed
• In principle all OPs are structured equally
  (priorities, objectives, financial overview,
  etc.)
• Analysis based on a common evaluation matrix
• Quality ranking in terms of programme design and
  implementation, score 100 points for quality as
  well as for implementation

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Analysis of Operational Programms

• Programme quality
• Objectives of the priority axis
• Activities of priorities
• Direct allocation for Nature conservation (code
  51)
• Restrictions on funding applicants

• Programme implementation
• Selection and evaluation comittee
• Training activities
• Guidelines, Web-support
• Time of received payment
• Number of approved projects
• Total fund allocated up to 31st March 2010 (start
  of the analysis)

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OP Analysis - Quality

• Results
• 86 of the OPs include biodiversity in the
  objectives
• 54 of the activities in the OPs are formulated
  broadly
• 33 of the activities in the OPs are clearly
  defined
• 63 of the OPs have dedicated budget to code 51
• Average score 56/100 points

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OP Analysis - Implementation

• Results
• 47 of OPs nature conservation experts are
  represented in the selection committee
• None of OPs offers specific training to
  applicants
• 61 provide very good web support
• Time period for project approval gt 6 months in
  35 of the projects
• 67 of the OPs dont provide pre-financing
  assistance to applicants
• Average score 52/100 points

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OP Analysis recommendations 1/2

• it should be a principal that biodiversity is
  included in one of the objectives
• nature conservation experts should be
  sufficiently represented in Evaluation and
  Selection Committees
• nature conservation should be a separate activity
• keep the activities for nature conservation more
  open so that the individual needs in the regions
  and initial situations can be well reflected in
  the project proposal

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OP Analysis recommendations 2/2

• financial support for pre-financing assistance
  should be provided
• professional support in the application phase
  should be eligible
• information should be provided to applicants in a
  clear and efficient way
• common, user-friendly web-site which provides all
  relevant data
• all this should be followed by a simple and
  straightforward decision process with short time
  periods between project development, submission,
  approval and procurement

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Thematic booklets

• Environmental education
• Forest biodiversity
• Green infrastructure
• Natura 2000 management
• Sustainable tourism

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Sustainable Tourism and Nature Conservation An
investment in our future
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Sustainable tourism booklet content 1/2

• Introduction into the topic
• priorities and objectives of sustainable tourism
• approaches of the European Union for
  sustainability in tourism policy
• tourism and nature conservation
• Financing opportunities
• European funds for sustainable tourism and nature
  conservation
• current opportunities of the ERDF for financing
  sustainable tourism
• funds for sustainable tourism and nature
  conservation in Austria, Greece and Wales

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Sustainable tourism booklet content 2/2

• Good practices
• Austria - Bog Alliance in the Alps
• Greece - Network of Aegean Islands for
  Sustainability DAFNI
• Wales - Wild Fishing
• Recommendation for a successful project
  application
• quality of a project
• connections between a successful sustainable
  tourism project and a successful application
  for a sustainable tourism project
• stakeholder in tourism development

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Upcoming activities

• 1 Guideline - summarizing and analysing good
  practice
• 1 Handbook - on the new generation of funding
• 1 interregional workshops
• 13 regional training sessions to disseminate
  the gained knowledge to regional and local
  stakeholders

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Support local stakeholders by providing
information about

• Analysis of 46 OPs overview about different
  approaches
• Wide range of projects with their variety of
  objectives and approaches
• Exchange ideas with colleagues of other regions
• Ideas for new projects
• training sessions
• five thematic booklets
• Recommendations for improving the funding
  possibilities for the next period

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Contact and Information

• Klara Brandl
• phone [phone]
• email klara.brandl_at_umweltbundesamt.at
• Peter Tramberend
• phone [phone]
• email peter.tramberend_at_umweltbundesamt.at

Environment Agency Austria - Umweltbundesamtwww.
umweltbundesamt.at
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Sustainable Use of Regional funds - for
Nature Thank you for your Attention!