The value of military lands for nature conservation
is generally well understood by conservationists throughout
Europe. Because of a number of factors (size, absence
of settlement and economic development, restrictions
on access etc) training areas used by the armed forces
have tended to keep landscape and wildlife features
which have become rare in the more intensely used parts
of their countries.
With the enlargement of the EU and reorientation of European
security, military lands and their uses are being redefined
in both Western and Central and Eastern European countries,
with consequent changing patterns of military use and conversion
of some military lands to other uses. However, military and
other state authorities are not always aware of the conservation
values of individual sites, managing them without conservation
in mind. A few countries excepted, the military authorities
have hitherto seldom been seriously or systematically developing
the relevant strategies and individual actions to safeguard
the conservation values of their domains.
Natura 2000 - a new challenge for Military
Military areas have historically been excluded from most
national nature conservation strategies, programs and projects.
Within the EU, the arrival of the Natura 2000 Network is now
forcing military authorities in all 27 Member States to address
nature conservation issues on their land. Military Training
Areas (MTAs) often accommodate habitats and animal and plant
species protected under the EU
Birds and Habitats Directives. When this is the case,
they must, just like 'civilian' land which contains the same
biodiversity values, be included as individual sites in the
Natura 2000 network.
Consequently, many military sites in the EU member
states are being designated, wholly or in part, as elements
of the European ecological network Natura 2000. In the
Netherlands for example, 50% of the total military estate
of 30,000 ha and all firing ranges have been included
into Natura 2000. In new EU member states this is throwing
up challenges for the military authorities - both at
central policy level as at individual base level.
Read more on EU's Natura 2000 network of protected
areas here.
Objectives
The project shall contribute to the preservation of outstanding
natural values in Military Training Areas in CEE countries.
Members of the CEEweb Natura
2000 Working Group aim to assist military authorities
in the process of reconciling military activity with conservation
objectives. We aim to:
gathered information on existing biodiversity values;
leading to a common database on biodiversity in military
training areas in the region
strenghten mutual cooperation among stakeholders - NGOs
and state institutions involved in the management of Military
Training Areas
establish a network of cooperation partners to exchange
scientific knowledge and experience on the conservation
management of the sites, habitats and species.
raise public awareness on nature conservation
issues in Military Training Areas, including Natura 2000
topics.
