GIS for NATURA 2000
Stephen Peedell, Alessandro Annoni, Susan Christensen
European Commission
Directorate General Joint Research Centre
Space Applications Institute
Agriculture and Regional Information Systems Unit
21020 Ispra (VA), Italy
http://www.aris.sai.jrc.it
http://gi-gis.aris.sai.jrc.it
6th EC-GIS Workshop
Lyon 28-30th June 2000
“GI Everywhere”
GIS for Natura 2000
Presentation Overview
 What is Natura2000?
 Project Objectives
 Participants
 Creation of a Spatial Database for Natura2000
 A GIS Architecture for Natura2000
 Future Activities - Example Applications
GIS for Natura 2000
Natura2000 - European Nature
Conservation Policy
European network of nature conservation sites designated by Member
States under the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive
Managed by European Commission Directorate General Environment
Specific funding under LIFE (1996-1999 309 Nature Conservation
Projects, 200M Euro)
12-15000 Sites EU 15
12% of EU Territory
Organised by Biogeographic Zones
Site list under review until 2004
Enlargement - LIFE projects already underway in Romania
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/home.htm
GIS for Natura 2000
Project Objectives
Harmonise the existing Natura2000 data
 Acquire additional data
 Collect, model and document user requirements
 Design and test an integrated spatial data
model
 Prototype, test and implement GIS applications
GIS for Natura 2000
The Biogeographic Zones
GIS for Natura 2000
Project Participants
Directly involved:
JRC - SAI
DG Environment
Eurostat-GISCO
Supporting agencies:
European Topic Centre on Nature
Conservation (ETC-NC) and European
Environment Agency (EEA)
Users:
DG Regional Policy
DG Agriculture
DG Transport
Member States
The Citizen
GIS for Natura 2000
Creation of a Spatial Database for
Natura2000
Every site is mapped on paper
No legal status for digital data
No specifications for digital data
Two distinct systems - a Map Archive
& the Natura2000 Database
Data Integration
Data Validation
Data Harmonisation
Data Acquisition
GIS for Natura 2000
Data Validation & Harmonisation
 Quality & Data Integrity
 Format
 Spatial Reference System
 Scale
 Semantics
 Language
 Metadata
Development of automated tools to create a
validation database - GISVAL
GIS for Natura 2000
GISVAL
An ArcView application
Loads shapefiles of Natura2000 sites
Checks integrity of the following with respect to
information in the site database:
•Area
•Centroid x,y
•Relationship with administrative areas
expressed as a percentage (from GISCO)
•Relationship with other Natura2000
sites
•Relationship with CORINE Biotopes &
Biogeographic Regions (from GISCO)
•Mean, minimum and maximum
elevations (from best available DEM)
GIS for Natura 2000
Data Acquisition
Fundamental Datasets at 1:100,000 Scale :
Gazeteer
Digital Elevation Model
Topography
GIS for Natura 2000
GIS Prototype Architecture
SunEnterprise450
Cluster
Natura2000
Spatial Database
Mirrored
Oracle 8i
Oracle 8i
ArcSDE
Custom
Applications
ArcIMS
Internet
Natura2000
Spatial Database
ArcINFO
ArcView
Custom
Applications
GIS for Natura 2000
Conclusions
GIS for Natura2000 has, so far, focussed on fundamental database
design & harmonisation issues
The first phase of applications are mostly driven by administrative
requirements
There is a vast scope for the development of thematic applications,
including indicators, modelling & visualisation
Additional data at European level are required - the acquisition of
which should be part of a coordinated EC approach
Standardisation of approaches will derive maximum benefit from
the many national & regional initiatives
GIS for Natura 2000
Example Applications & Datasets
The following slides illustrate the diversity of GI which is
available, in varying degrees, for some of the
Natura2000 sites (and some of the areas not designated
under Natura2000).
GIS for Natura 2000
Lago di Garda
Milvus migrans (Black Kite)
Falco peregrinus(Peregrine)
Bubo bubo(Eagle Owl)
Circaetus gallicus(Short-toed
Eagle)
Sylvia nisoria(Barred Warbler)
Heath & scrub (25%)
Evergreen woodland
(15%)
Hunting
Theft of & damage to flower species
Recreational pressure
Non-forest areas
cultivated with woody
plants(10%)
Inland rocks,
Screes(50%)
GIS for Natura 2000
Regione Toscana
GIS for Natura 2000
CORINE Land Cover
GIS for Natura 2000
Satellite Imagery - MARS Archive
GIS for Natura 2000