S lovenian management of Natura 2000 - integration proces and management practice

1. Slovenian management of Natura 2000 - integration procesand management practice EXPERT GROUP ON THE MANAGEMENT OF NATURA 2000 3rd Meeting: 21 June 2010 DG Environment, Brussels Gregor Danev, B.Sc. Forestry, Management expert, Group member, Mateja Žvikart, M.Sc. Biology, Expert in agriculture management, Miha Naglič, B.Sc. Biology, Expert in Fishery and Water management;

2. Topic • Natura 2000 sites in Slovenia • Management Programme – sheme, objectives, measures; • Managing Natura 2000 – experiences from day to day practice • Conclusions

3. SPA – 26 sites (22,8 %) • SCI – 260 sites (31,6%) • Total – 35,5 % • 20-25 % agriculture land • 71 % forests

4. Operational Programme (2007-13) CONSERVATION MEASURES (+ investment, incentives) RELEVANT SECTORS DETAILED CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES FOR EACH NATURA 2000 SITE INTERACTIVE ATLAS Bringing answers to questions: HOW? WHAT & WHY? WHO? WHERE? Natura 2000 management programme (english): http://www.natura2000.gov.si/uploads/ tx_library/NATURA_2000-ANG-01.pdf Andrej Bibič, Ministry for the Environment and Spatial planning

5. Natura 2000 operational programme • Objectives: for each Natura 2000 site, and within for each species and/or habitat type with zoning • Measures: • Measures in relation to use of natural resources: forestry, hunting, fishing; • Measures for adaptive agriculture practice: agri-environment; • Measures for water management; • Nature conservation measures; • Other measures: • Measures for achieving sustainable “regional, local”development on Natura 2000 sites • Monitoring measures • Communication • Education and research

6. FORESTRY • EX: Objectives with reference valuesfor Forest HT from OP: • main tree species % in each development phase, • % of development phases according to HT zone, • min. quantity of dead wood in % to total growing stock, • surface of HT, • etc. Forestry Unit Management Plans IMPLEMENTATION • Existing Forest Management Planning: irrespective of ownership!! • regional management plans (14) – every 10 years • unit management plans (236) – every 10 years (10% per year) • EX: Objectives with reference values for forest species from OP: • min. quantity and diameter of dead wood • (standing, lying) in proportion to total growing stock, • - ecocells (quiet zones, micro reserves, nesting trees, etc…), • regimes on forest roads, • - main tree species % in each development phase, • % of development phases according to • species zone

7. Objectives for forest species: Example for Kočevsko Reference values Indicators Trends Concrete guidelines which are implemented in the Forestry Unit MP

8. Results: Forestry DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT ZONES FOR FORESTRY 2010 2009 2008

9. AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL POLICY AND NATURE CONSERVATION IN SLOVENIA 2. AXIS OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME – Agri-environment payments CROSS COMPLIANCE

10. RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2007 - 2013 • Agri-Environment Payments (AEP) • Compenastory allowances for Less – Favoured Areas (LFA) AXIS 2 LFA 48% AEP 52%

11. AGRI-ENVIRONMENT PAYMENTS • voluntarily decision • 5-7 year contract • implementation of all requirements of selected measures • implementation of all requirements of cross compliance GENERAL MEASURES • farmers can register all over the country • measures for maintaining the grasslands (in general) SPECIFIC MEASURES • geolocatedmeasures consider ecological requirement of threatened species (butterflies, birds,…) • farmers can register just within zones of threatened species and HT which are within Natura 2000 sites and national ecological important areas

12. KEY MEASURES FOR CONSERVATION OF PERMANENT GRASSLANDS • Organic farming – Permanent grassland (EK-T) • Mountain pastures (PP or PPP) • Steep slopes mowing (S35 or S50) • Humpy meadows mowing (GRB) • Sustainable domestic animal husbandry (REJ) • Conservation of extensive grassland (ETA) • Conservation of special grassland habitats (HAB) • Conservation of grassland habitats of butterflies (MET) • Conservation of litter meadows (STE) • Provision of favourable status of population of threatened bird species and humid grassland habitats (VTR)

13. HABITAT TYPES BUTTERFLIES BIRDS LITTER MEADOWS

14. OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES OF NATURA 2000 SITE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME Natura 2000 site Species (Slo) Species (Latin) Objectives AE measures Key measures Indicators Reference values

15. Analysis of measures and results AGRICULTURE

16. Results: Agriculture • Requirements: • - 30 sites for HT protection • 23 for birds • 36 for butterflies • 1 for plant protection 2009 = 33.126 ha • Results • 6 sites for HT protection – 20% • 3 for birds – 15% • 2 for butterflies – 6%

17. Results: Agriculture

18. Results: Agriculture % of reached objectives till year 2010 according to the OP sites with set objectives LEGEND: DA – YES Objectives are reached NE – NO Objectives are not reached

19. PROBLEMS IN AGRICULTURE • % of AE measures on Natura 2000 sites are not sufficient - Compensatory payments aren’t sufficient - Practice shows that some requirements are unacceptable - Too many administration/supervisions - Low public awareness - crumbled land structure - age - education • non specific AE measures • Requirements not suitable for different areas (mountain, panonic region,…) – regional specifics is not implemented – MORE ADAPTIVITY • insufficient results on protected species/habitat types

20. FUTURE AGRICULTURE CHALLENGES • Analysis of AE measures on Natura 2000 sites • Revision of AE measures and completions/corrigenda • – contents and financially • Preparation of new, specific measures - intensive • cooperation with Agriculture Ministry • Intensive communication and promotion • Introduction Natura payments ?? – What does it bring? = new control, new administration, repeating mistakes, etc ???

21. FISHERY and HUNTING • Similar procedure as with forestry • Game management (Slovenia Forestry Service) • 10 years game management plans (2010), • Yearly operative plans; • Fishery management (Fishery research institute of Slovenia) Nature conservation guidelines Participation in the adoption process at SFS Councils The Fishing Areas Plan FRIS developed the 12 proposals (April 2010), 6 year period In public debate (May 2010) FRIS together with IRSNC prepared 12 FAPs (February 2010), In the adoption process Preparation of example of FMP and cooperation with IRSNC (June 2010) The Fishing Management Plan FRIS in cooperation with local Fishing society, 67 FMPs, 6 year period

22. How to manage this integration process and success of implementation? DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT MODULE – MANAGEMENT DATABASE WITH DOSJE FOR EACH SITE AND IMPLEMENTATION INTO INTERACTIVE ATLAS

23. http://www.naravovarstveni-atlas.si/ISN2KJ/default.aspx

24. EXPERTS CONCLUSIONS Operational Programme is good tool for Natura 2000 management: • Brings the overall perspective, • Gives the assignments to different institutions, organizations, • It was firs with limited data in 2006 - Adapting the OP with new knowledge (scientific and practical), • In future: • focus on prioritizing objectives, • focus on financial part;

25. More focus on communication and participation! • – participation is the main tool for achieving the objectives!!! • 2. More focus on regional and local developmentwww.natreg.eu • – promotion of ecosystem services, • – promotion of new business initiatives, • – etc;