A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Threats to and management of Natura 2000 protected areas relative to agricultural practices
Authors: Zavattoni, Giorgio; Gaget, Elie; Hallman, Tyler; Kačergytė, Ineta; Pärt, Tomas; Pavón‐Jordán, Diego; Sattler, Thomas; Brommer, Jon E.
Publisher: Wiley
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Conservation Biology
Article number: e70172
ISSN: 0888-8892
eISSN: 1523-1739
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70172
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70172
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/505622257
The Natura 2000 (N2K) network combines biodiversity protection and socioeconomic targets. Human activities, such as agricultural practices, can affect biodiversity in N2K sites in diverse ways. Limiting activities with negative impacts while enforcing land management that supports biodiversity is crucial for effective conservation. Yet, site-level information on how this is addressed in N2K sites is lacking. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a European Union-wide survey among N2K site managers. We aimed to assess the implemented conservation measures, their funding sources, and the extent to which different threats are addressed. Of the 341 responses, 61.8% reported the implementation of conservation measures linked to agricultural practices, such as adapting mowing and grazing at levels suitable for the conservation of grassland habitats and species. Sites with management tied to agricultural practices relied more on EU funding, such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), whereas other sites depended more on national funding. Threats not addressed by conservation measures were reported by 63.8% of respondents, suggesting that overall management funding may be insufficient or ineffectively allocated. Most of these unaddressed threats resulted from intensive agricultural practices, such as the use of agrochemicals (reported as a threat in 13% of sites). These findings provide insight into how traditional agricultural practices, mostly related to low-intensity grazing and mowing, are frequently used as conservation tools, whereas intensive agriculture is a prominent source of unmitigated threats. Thus, achieving N2K conservation goals requires avoiding intensive agricultural practices and strengthening effective conservation measures in protected areas.
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Funding information in the publication:
Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Grant/Award Number: PCI2022-135056-2; Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas, Grant/Award Number: 2022-01752; Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Grant/Award Number: 20BD21_209665; Norges Forskningsråd, Grant/Award Number: 342927; Innovationsfonden, Grant/Award Number: 1159-00033B; Ympäristöministeriö, Grant/Award Number: VN/7162/2023; Biodiversa+