These lecture notes are one of the six modules training course “How to plan for Nature”. Together with the accompanying power point presentations they enable the trainer to prepare and give lectures. The lectures are the introduction to the training which further consists of an excursion and exercises in working groups. All materials can be downloaded from the project website www.biodiversityskills.eu

Nr Slide
2
 geographical expression to economic, social, cultural and ecological policies of society
 scientific discipline, administrative technique & policy
 balanced regional development
 physical organisation of space according to an overall strategy
3
Slide with the planning picture: man and maps
4
Picture of flood or water purification
Biodiversity conservation as it was:
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Wilderness

Protected areas for nature scenery
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Run by central governments
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Planned and managed against people and their use by local communities
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Managed as islands
 national asset
 reactive management
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Paid for by the taxpayer
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Managed by scientists and natural
Lecturer instructions
Definition: Spatial planning gives geographical expression to the economic, social, cultural and ecological policies of society. It is at the same time a scientific discipline, an administrative technique and a policy as an interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach directed towards a balanced regional development and the physical organisation of space according to an overall strategy.
Planning is an important mechanism to deliver biodiversity objectives at the local and regional levels.
Question to the group: Can you tell how and why?
Integrating biodiversity into planning through the ecosystems approach offers many green opportunities to solve a wide range of societal and economic planning challenges.
Question to the group: Can you name a few?
Relationship between biodiversity conservation and
spatial planning has changed markedly over the
decades, since the first national parks were established in the late 19 th century. Nature was set aside in reserves for conservation, managed as wilderness and for tourists to enjoy.
Question to the group: Can you give examples of how the scope of biodiversity conservation has changed since
then?
Background information
See page 51 of the Handbook
 spatial planning can optimise a wide range of functions and land uses including biodiversity
 biodiversity and planning share the need for an integrated and cross sectoral approach
 biodiversity and ecosystem are increasingly considered for the services and goods they provide to society. In helping addressing the decisions, spatial planning is an essential tool
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Water management
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Flood control
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Fighting the urban heat island
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Water purification
Biodiversity as it is managed nowadays. Some examples:
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Managed also with socioeconomic objectives in mind
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Biodiversity is more than only beautiful, it offers many important services
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More attention to the needs of the local communities
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Biodiversity programmes run by many partners

Integrated into networks and into multifunctional landscapes, also outside PA’s
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Viewed as a community asset and as an international concern
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches

resources experts
How is it now?
Planning and management of biodiversity:
 socioeconomic objectives
 consideration of important services
 attention to the local communities
 run by many partners
 ecological networks
 multifunctional landscapes
 community asset
 international concern

Managed adaptively

Paid for from many sources
 etc.
Natura 2000

26,106 sites in the EU 27

17.5% of the EU’s terrestrial surface
Picture of field spraying and urban encroachment
Picture of climate buffer and green infrastructure
Compare the answers from the group to the list projected on screen and discuss differences and similarities
Biodiversity conservation through the designation and management of protected areas has been quite
successful in the EU-27: the implementation of the
Natura 2000 network.
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26,106 sites in the EU 27
17.5% of the EU’s terrestrial surface
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Managed adaptively

Paid for from many sources
 etc.
However, the biodiversity outside this network of protected areas has suffered increasingly over the last
decades, especially as a result of urban encroachment, pollution and land conversion (mainly to intensive agriculture)
The main focus of biodiversity conservation should therefore be on ensuring its protection and wise use
also outside protected areas. This requires an important effort to finding planning solutions that
Examples of co-benefits:
Implementing water control buffer zones as a measure for flood risk mitigation also enable restoration of wet natural
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches

Picture of the handbook page 54
Figure on page 56 promote co-benefits between sectorial activities and nature conservation.
From a policy and planning point of view biodiversity conservation has therefore become a far more integrated subject, requiring mainstreaming in all
relevant policies.
Question to the group: Can you mention a number of planning and land use objectives that promote co-
benefits?
Spatial scales of planning for biodiversity
Planning policy operates at various spatial and administrative levels, from the national to the community. Biodiversity needs to be reflected at all these levels of planning policy, although the local levels are best placed to achieve tangible results because of the close and direct connections to the different stakeholders.
Question to the group: Can you name a few planning policy choices relevant to biodiversity conservation that are typically made at the following levels? National,
regional, local, neighbourhood?
Biodiversity typically needs a comprehensive approach
across spatial and administrative scales but also across
borders. This requires a high level of coordination as the picture shows for River Basin Management and City
Green Infrastructure Strategy habitats which can simultaneously be used for extensive grazing and/or leisure activities
Green infrastructure elements in the city (such as parks and tree lined lanes) provide shade (combating the urban heat island), filter ozone and small particles from the air, intercept excessive rainfall while at the same time providing habitat for a wide range of species.
Revitalisation of deprived areas through nature restoration
Examples of planning policy choices at different levels:
National:
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 designating nationally important areas,
 designating EU protected areas (Natura 2000), providing tools, support and guidance.
Regional:
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Develop wider biodiversity strategies and connections with other planning such as for water and transport
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Establish a general vision for the green network
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Oversee the process of Natura 2000 implementation
Local:
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Deliver the objectives set out at the regional level by inserting them in the land use plan
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Fully engage the stakeholders in the process
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches

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Planning policies
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Municipal policies
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Promotional policies
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Policy implementation

Monitoring and evidence base
Picture of group in nature
At the local level, a range mechanisms operate within the spatial plans:
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Planning policies

Municipal policies
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Promotional policies

Policy implementation

Monitoring and evidence base
Types of local planning policies specific to biodiversity conservation include:
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General consideration (consider biodiversity in all activities or developments)
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Site protection (specifically to protect sites of high nature value)
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Special area (better plan for biodiversity in areas of high landscape value)
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Specific habitat protection (very useful complement to the general consideration policy to protect valuable habitats against undesired development)
More suggestions?
Municipal policies with a wider application should also reflect biodiversity considerations:
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Land management (to ensure that the management of public land takes into account biodiversity)
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Information base (to record the biodiversity and ecosystem services related data)
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Monitoring (to monitor progress of the municipality regarding its biodiversity objectives

Education (to include biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in the curriculum)
Communication and promotional policies to inform the
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Green infrastructure (these policies are specifically geared towards ensuring connectivity and increase green spaces in urban and rural areas)

Habitat creation (to restore natural habitats for
 their own sake or because of the services they provide)
Access (to ensure equal access of citizens to areas of biodiversity conservation)
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches

Picture of earth works wider public and create more understanding:
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Promotion (to underline the significance and appreciation of biodiversity)
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Community involvement (to ensure cooperation of the various stakeholders to reach common goals regarding biodiversity)
Implementation of policies requires the observance of the following criteria when considering planning applications
Question to the group: can you give me a number of criteria needed to review a planning application regarding its impact on biodiversity?
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Information (what are the possible effects of the development)
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Avoidance (have all adverse effects been avoided where possible?
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Mitigation (can unavoidable adverse impacts be mitigated?)
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Compensation (if avoidance and mitigation are not enough to secure the local biodiversity, are there opportunities for compensation elsewhere?)
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Enhancements (are there opportunities to enhance the biodiversity?)
Image of LBAP process
Green infrastructure is a strategically
planned and delivered network of high-
quality green spaces and other environmental features. It should be designed and managed as a
multifunctional resource capable of delivering a wide range of environmental
and quality of life benefits to local communities. Green infrastructure includes forests, rivers, coastal zones, parks, ecocorridors and other natural or semi-natural features which constitute key elements for
the provision of ecosystem services.
Local biodiversity action planning is a comprehensive stakeholder based approach for biodiversity planning. It translates wider objectives into practical targets that can be achieved through practical actions. It is a welldefined process involving a number of steps (see slide).
It culminates with the development of a document: the
LBAP, or local biodiversity action plan.
Green infrastructure: its relevance is that it provides the potential for developing an integrated policy and approach to the delivery of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside and urban areas.
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches

Picture of a multifunctional landscape Question to the group: Can you name a few
components of a green infrastructure?
Possible answers:
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Protected areas, such as Natura 2000 sites
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Healthy ecosystems of high nature value outside
PA’s
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Natural landscape features such as water courses, forest patches, hedges, etc.
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Restored habitat patches
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Artificial features such as ecoducts
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Multifunctional zones where adapted land use help maintain biodiverse ecosystems
Picture of ecological network
Europe has set the target to restore 15% of degraded habitats by 2020
Picture of large city
In 2007 for the first time in history more than 50% of the world population lived in cities. This proportion is expected to increase over the next decades
These elements can be grouped under the following categories:
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Core areas
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Buffer zones
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Corridors
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Stepping stones
Habitat restoration
It is a reality that intense economic development has significantly altered Europe’s (semi-)natural landscapes and reduced its biodiversity in the past decades.
Nowadays, natural landscape coherence and biodiversity value are slowly being restored through active planning and through the (re)creation of habitats.
This can be done as part of compensation measures for development occurring elsewhere (e.g. habitat banking) or simply to restore degraded landscapes as part of local or regional policy.
Urban planning and biodiversity
Urban areas have a very significant impact on biodiversity both directly (through urban sprawl) and indirectly (through the vast amount resources their citizens consume). As landscapes become increasingly urbanised, plants and animals seek refuge and find new habitats. Creative urban planning can help biodiversity’s urban colonisation and find mutual benefits for nature
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches

Picture of tijdelijke natuur
Green roofs in Dusseldorf. A municipal initiative offering tax incentives has resulted in a rapid increase in green roof area in the city, preventing peak run off flows and helping to control floods in the city. and society (especially nature’s regulatory functions in terms of temperature, water flow, air and water purification).
The spatial dynamics of urban areas (cycle of construction, destruction and renewal) create many habitat niches (e.g. brownfields) that can temporarily benefit pioneer species, including rare and listed ones.
Regulation can help protecting the temporary havens by giving the owners and developers the assurance that they will be allowed to build even if these listed species are present. This approach has been successfully implemented in the Netherlands and has resulted in the fact that these brownfields awaiting development are now temporarily given back to nature.
At an even smaller scale, architects, developers and builders can also significantly contribute to greening the city by integrating green into their designs: green roofs,
green walls are no longer an exception and are being implemented throughout European cities. They improve the local climate and well-being of the urban
dwellers, but also help the authorities by regulating water and temperature (less expenditure on heating, cooling and urban water management). Municipalities can successfully encourage the installation of green
roofs by companies and citizens by offering tax
incentives or subsidies.
How to plan for Nature – Lecture Notes - #3: Biodiversity planning, concepts and approaches