General overview
about last LIFE call
LIFE Nature & Biodiversity (sub-programme for Environment) is
similar to the former LIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity strand. It will cofinance action grants for best practice, pilot and demonstration
projects that contribute to the implementation of the Birds and
Habitats Directives Directives and the Union Biodiversity Strategy to
2020, and the development, implementation and management of
the Natura 2000 network.
- pilot projects" means projects that apply a technique or
method that has not been applied or tested before, or
elsewhere, and that offer potential environmental or climate
advantages compared to current best practice and that can
subsequently be applied on a larger scale to similar
situations;
- “demonstration projects” means projects that put into
practice, test, evaluate and disseminate actions,
methodologies or approaches that are new or unknown in
the specific context of the project, such as the
geographical, ecological, socio-economic context, and that
could be applied elsewhere in similar circumstances;
- “best practice projects” means projects that apply
appropriate, cost-effective, state-ofthe-art techniques,
methods and approaches taking into account the specific
context of the project;
- "information, awareness and dissemination projects" means
projects aimed at supporting communication, dissemination
of information and awareness raising in the
- fields of the sub-programmes for Environment and Climate
Action.
A "demonstration" project must be designed right from the
start to demonstrate whether or not the target techniques and
methods work in the project's context (geographical, ecological,
socio-economical,…). Monitoring, evaluation and active
dissemination of the main project results and/or lessons learnt
are integral parts of the project and its aftermath.
A successful demonstration project ultimately aims to
encourage other stakeholders to use the techniques and
methods demonstrated in the project. The ability to replicate
and transfer results during and after the project implementation
will be explicitly part of the evaluation process, so projects
should be set up in way to allow for replication and transfer of
the results elsewhere under similar circumstances, e.g. by
ensuring knowledge sharing and transparency. Given the time
frequently required for certain actions to have a measurable
impact, it is recognised that the evaluation and dissemination of
the results may need to continue well after the end of the
project and the actual replication or transfer of project results
can only be evaluated ex-post. Nevertheless, projects should
be set up in way to allow for replication and transfer of the
results, e.g. by ensuring knowledge sharing and transparency.
A "pilot" project aims to evaluate whether the targeted new
techniques and methods work or not. The monitoring,
evaluation and active dissemination of the main project results
and/or lessons learnt is an integral part of the project; a pilot
project aims to assess the effectiveness of the method, to
inform other stakeholders of the results and to encourage them
where appropriate to use the techniques and methods
successfully tested in the project. The project must also show
evidence of the ability to replicate and transfer results during
and after the project implementation to larger scale contexts.
co-financing rate of up to 75% of the total eligible costs may be
granted to LIFE Nature and Biodiversity proposals that focus on
concrete conservation actions for priority species or habitat
types of the Birds and Habitats Directives, when actions in the
project are necessary to achieve the conservation objective.
The priority area LIFE Nature & Biodiversity focuses on:
- contributing to the development and implementation of EU
policy and legislation in the area of nature and biodiversity,
in the Union Biodiversity Strategy to 20207, and the Birds
and Habitats Directives8;
- supporting the further development, implementation and
management of the Natura 2000 network; and
- improving the knowledge base for the development,
implementation, assessment, monitoring and evaluation of
EU nature and biodiversity policy and legislation, and for
assessing and monitoring factors, pressures and
responses that impact on nature and biodiversity
Thematic priorities for LIFE Nature projects: activities for
the implementation of the Birds and/or Habitats Directives
in particular:
(i) Activities aimed at improving the conservation status of
habitats and species,
including marine habitat and species, and bird species, of
Union interest;
(ii) Activities in support of the Natura 2000 network biogeographical seminars;
(iii) Integrated approaches for the implementation of prioritised
action frameworks.
Project topics
1. Projects aimed at improving the conservation status of
habitat types or species (including bird species) of Community
Interest15, targeting the Natura 2000 sites proposed or
designated for these habitat types or species.
Project Title (100 characters)
Establishing and promoting a common approach for the
evaluation and verification of the environmental, social and
economic performance of N2000 management at the
Mediterranean biogeographical scale
PARTICIPANTS
Participants
Organisation
1. Coordinating Beneficiary
tbd
Country
2. Associated beneficiary
IUCN Med
Spain
3. Associated beneficiary
Junta of Andalucia
Spain
4. Associated beneficiary
Federparchi
Italy
5. Associated beneficiary
IUCN france
France
6. Associated beneficiary
Europarc Spain
Spain
7.
Tbd
Croatia
PROJECT INFORMATION
Main objectives of the project (300 characters)
Establishing a common management evaluation and verification framework for N2000 sites of
the Mediterranean bioregion.
Evaluating tangible outcomes of management actions in natural sites is a challenge. Policies at
all levels are requiring the establishment of frameworks for evaluation and lots of initiatives
have been implemented so far, including IUCN Green List of Protected areas standard. The
achievement of conservation and biodiversity targets cannot be evaluated on a short-term
scale or independently from the context. Establishing a biogeographical approach would allow
evaluating the direct and indirect contribution of the PA to the conservation of habitat or
species objectively defined as relevant for that specific biogeographical region.
Most of the times, in fact, managers tend to define as priority the targets with regard to which
they have more activities implemented, regardless their objective relevance from a
biogeographic point of view. Instead, referring to biogeographical conservation priorities when
evaluating the efforts made by a PA, is crucial to evaluate the consistency between what is
highlighted by PAs’s managers as conservation priority and the global targets.
Actions involved – please explain clearly actions to be carried out to reach the objectives (2000
characters).
A) Preparatory actions:
A.0 Identification of implementing sites
To be determined.
Carla: I think we could work on last’s years GL PAs (all, not only listed ones) plus some
new selected. Depending on what we decide, the approach of the project will vary as if
we work in the “old” ones we might already have identified the needs of improvement
A.1 Redefinition and adaptation of the standard to N2000 sites
On the basis of the work implemented in the last 2 years for the identification and
harmonization of the Green List of Protected areas standard and on the basis of the
outcomes of version 2.1 of it, an adaptation of indicators and means of verifications will
be implemented, first at national and, in parallel, at regional scale.
For that, dedicated working groups will be created in each participating country that will
as well convene in a regional working group.
Each working group will identify a secretariat that will be the responsible of facilitating
and ensuring the work of the group that will respond to the regional coordinator.
A.2 Application (and reapplication) to new and old PAs (marine also)
Once the standard will be agreed among different groups, there will be its re-application or
new application to the selected pilot sites. This activity will include work from the N2000 mgmt
teams that will have to prepare the candidacy form with the support of an identified expert
per each country.
Areas that already applied the system in the previously will focus only in the aspects of the
standard who suffered some modifications.
A.3 Identification of the gaps at local and regional scale “the hill”
The application of the standard will allow the identification of the implementation needs per
each of the pilot sites. With this information the national working groups will elaborate actions
plan for each of the PAs to be implemented during the project life (activity c.1).
A.4 Develop missing information at bioregional scale (species or habitat basis)
Previous experience in the evaluation of management effectiveness of natural areas, showed
weaknesses in the identification of thresholds of evaluation, especially as regards conservation
outcomes. The achievement of conservation and biodiversity targets cannot be evaluated on a
short-term scale or independently from the context. Establishing a biogeographical approach
would allow evaluating the direct and indirect contribution of the PA to the conservation of
habitat or species objectively defined as relevant for that specific biogeographical region.
With the support of the national working groups and the old application of the standard
results, an analysis of existing and missing information about habitats and species distribution
and conservation status will be implemented at regional level. The methodology will be agreed
between the groups and tried to apply information and data from the habitat directive and
other commons frameworks as IUCN red list.
This action will start by the beginning of the project to allow time to work also in the creation
of missing information (activity C.2) . Result of this action will be the creation of a
Mediterranean-wide indicator system (physically embodied in a technical manual) that will
foster objective assessment of the management of protected areas, including the Natura 2000
network.
C) Concrete conservation actions:
C.1 implementation of the selected actions in each park
This can be an issue at the moment of budgeting; this is why I think pilot areas should be
identified since the beginning.
A possible approach could be the MEET one in which, to avoid administrative burdens to the
PAs for being direct partner of the initiative, funds for conservation actions are given to the PAs
as a subcontracted service (on a case by case basis and depending on the 35% rule).
If we decide the financial allocation and we identify possible types of actions to be
implemented and then request an action plan to each PA, than it could be useful (possible pilot
have then to be involved in project writing)
C.2 filling the information gaps for the N2000 profile
Depending on the oucomes of A.4
D) Monitoring:
D.1 monitoring of the results
E) Dissemination activities
E.1 Med GL Network
E.2 Comms strategy and implementation
E.3 Local worshops and international events
F) Coordination and management
Expected Results – these must clearly relate to the environmental problem targeted and the
project's objectives (300 characters).
Mediterranean-wide indicator system (physically embodied in a technical manual) that will
foster objective assessment of the management of protected areas, including the Natura 2000
network.
Please tick ONE box below to indicate which strand your project fits against:
Nature X
Biodiversity ☐
Environment Policy &
Information and
Governance X
Communication ☐
Reason for selection:
Please tick ONE box below to indicate which project type your project fits against. Please read
the EU LIFE+ guidance beforehand.
Best Practice ☐
Demonstration X
Innovation ☐
What will the project demonstrate and/or
innovate in a way that offers value to others?
Which policies and legislation (‘EU added value’) does your project address?
Environmental Policy/Legislation (e.g. Habitats Directive; Water Framework Directive
Habitats directive art 6 and art 11