Natura 2000 in the

Boreal Region

European Commission
Environment Directorate General
Author: Kerstin Sundseth, Ecosystems LTD, Brussels.
Managing editor: Susanne Wegefelt,
European Commission, Nature and Biodiversity Unit B2,
B-1049 Brussels.
Contributors: Anja Finne, John Houston, Mats Eriksson.
Acknowledgements: Our thanks to the European Topic
Centre on Biological Diversity and the Catholic University
of Leuven, Division SADL for providing the data for the
tables and maps
Graphic design: NatureBureau International
Photo credits: Front cover: Lapland, Finland; Jorma Luhta;
insets top to bottom Jorma Luhta, Kerstin Sundseth,
Tommi Pivinen, Coastal Meadow management
LIFE- Nature project.
Back cover: Baltic Coast, Latvia; Kerstin Sundseth
Additional information on Natura 2000 is available from
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature

Contents
The Boreal Region land of trees and water................. p. 3
Natura 2000 habitat types in the Boreal Region........... p. 5
Map of Natura 2000 sites in the Boreal Region............... p. 6
Natura 2000 species in the Boreal Region......................... p. 8
Management issues in the Boreal Region......................... p. 10

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Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

land of forests and water

Bog woodland, Finland Jorma Luhta

The Boreal Region

three-toed woodpecker Picoides tridactylus and a range of

raptors such as the greater spotted eagle Aquila clanga.

land of forests and water

Wetlands are the next most common landscape feature.

Around 10,00015,000 years ago the entire Boreal Region
was covered in ice. As the massive ice sheet retreated
after the last Ice Age, it carved shallow depressions
into the hard bedrock of granite and gneiss which over
time evolved into lakes, rivers and mires. A significant
proportion of Europes natural lakes and some of its largest
bogs are found in this region. In the far north, peatlands
can make up 50% of the land surface in places.

With its endless expanse of coniferous forests, mires and

lakes, the Boreal Region forms part of a distinct band of
vegetation which circles the entire northern hemisphere.
Habitat types blend seamlessly into one another, creating
a characteristic mosaic landscape of forests and wetlands.
Along the coast, bedrock archipelagos intermingle with lowlying brackish fens and meadows, providing ideal nesting
grounds for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds.
The Boreal Region of the European Union includes most of
Sweden and Finland, all of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and
much of the Baltic Sea. It has a relatively flat topography,
mostly below 500 m. To the north, the zone merges with the
forest-tundra of the Arctic, to the west the ground rises up
onto the Fennoscandian mountains and, in the south, there is
a transition to the deciduous forests of the Continental Region.
Forests cover around 60% of the region and dominate
the landscape. The majority is used commercially and is,
consequently, of reduced conservation value compared to
the original natural old-growth forests, which now account
for less than 510% of the resource. The dominant forest
type, known as western taiga, contains a mixture of Norway
spruce Picea abies and Scots pine Pinus sylvestris. Its structure
is relatively simple with a sparse field layer of mosses, lichens
and ericaceous shrubs on shallow soils. Where the soil is
more fertile, the understory becomes carpeted in a rich
assembly of herbaceous shrubs and bushes.
Overall, the boreal forests harbour a rich array of well
adapted plants, insects and other animals. Rare bird species
are also ever-present, they include ten species of owl, such
as Ural owl Strix uralensis, six species of woodpecker like the

The coastline and islands around the Baltic Sea and

Gulf of Bothnia are also very characteristic of a boreal
environment. Having been depressed under the massive
weight of ice, the coastline is once again emerging from
the sea. Around the Gulf of Bothnia this is said to be rising
by as much as 1 cm a year. As the water recedes, low-lying
habitats, ideal for breeding waders and saline tolerant
plants, develop. They have been used for centuries for
grazing and haymaking which has, in turn, resulted
in a number of typical semi-natural habitats of high
conservation value such as the boreal Baltic coastal
meadows, the Nordic alvar and the natural forests of
primary succession stages.
The archipelagos situated off the southern coasts of
Finland and Sweden are also very interesting from a
conservation perspective. Made up of thousands of islands
and islets, dotted amidst a calm and gentle sea, they paint
a picture postcard landscape. Flocks of breeding and
staging waterfowl and seabirds are drawn here in their
thousands, attracted by the clement weather, sheltered
bays, shallow waters and abundance of food.
As for the Baltic Sea, this is one of the largest brackish
water systems in the world. Its only connection with the
open sea is through the shallow sounds between Sweden
and Denmark. As a result, it can take up to 35 years for the

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

land of forests and water

Baltic to be fully renewed by water from the North Sea

and beyond. This, combined with the fact that the sea
is very shallow (average depth 54 m), makes it highly
prone to eutrophication.
Demographically, the region is a land of contrasts, with
increasingly large urbanised areas in the south
(Stockholm, Riga, Helsinki) offset by vast areas in the
north where the already low populations are decreasing
even further. The south averages 40 inhabitants/km
whereas in the north it is more typically around
23 inhabitants/km.
Large-scale agriculture is also generally concentrated
in the south where it is becoming more intensive. The
growing season here is 200 days compared to 100 days
in the north. This is influenced not just by temperature
and soil quality but also by the number of daylight hours
and length of snow cover. Commercial forestry is, on the
other hand, widespread throughout the region.

Countries involved

Atlantic

Belgium, Germany, Denmark,

18.4
Spain, France, Ireland, Portugal,
Netherlands, United Kingdom

Boreal

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

territory

Estonia, Finland, Latvia,

Lithuania, Sweden

18.8

Continental

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech

Republic, Germany, Denmark,
France, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland,
Romania, Sweden, Slovenia

29.3

Alpine

Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain,

Finland, France, Italy, Poland,
Romania, Sweden, Slovenia,
Slovakia

8.6

Pannonian

Czech Republic, Hungary,

Romania, Slovakia

3.0

Steppic

Romania

0.9

Black Sea

Bulgaria, Romania

0.3

Mediterranean

Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece,

Italy, Malta, Portugal

20.6

Macaronesian

Spain, Portugal

0.2

Source:
European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity (European Environment Agency)
http://biodiversity.eionet.europa.eu October 2008

% of EU

Region

Mires and fens are also well represented. They range from
active raised bogs and transition mires within a forest
landscape, to extensive aapa mires in the north. Until
recently commercial peat extraction was widespread,
with some countries losing up to 70% of their peatlands.
Despite this, the Boreal Region still harbours some of the
largest intact mire complexes in Europe.
Although grasslands only cover 14% of the territory, they
include a wide variety of valuable semi-natural habitats.
These tend to occur along the coast and further inland
around forest edges. A number are unique to the Boreal
Region such as the Fennoscandian wooded pastures.
In all five countries, there has been a long tradition of
small holdings maintaining clearings for grazing livestock
and haymaking. Over time, these have become very rich
in specialist plants and animals and are therefore of high
conservation interest. Unfortunately, most are now rapidly
disappearing through lack of management.

Photo Jorma Luhta

Finally, oligotrophic lakes and Fennoscandian natural

rivers are also widespread throughout the region.
Because they are relatively young and carved out of hard
bedrock, the lakes tend to be shallow, cold, clear and
poor in nutrient loads. They are also therefore particularly
sensitive to nutrient overload, acid rain and pollution

Aapa mires
Aapa mires develop under the combined effects of
short summers and long winters with abundant snow.
The latter causes long-lasting springtime flooding from
the drainage basin of the mire, which prevents it from
developing into a proper bog complex. Aapa mires are
generally very large, particularly in the flat north, and
have a characteristic string and flark pattern where the
strings are perpendicular to the slope.

Natura 2000 habitat types

Around third of all habitat types listed in the Habitats

Directive occur in the Boreal Region. This is partly
explained by its long natural transition zone with the
Continental Region. Seventeen of the habitat types
concern different types of forests such as old growth
western taiga forest, Fennoscandian deciduous swamp
woods and bog woodland.

Photo Jorma Luhta

Natura 2000
habitat types in
the Boreal Region

They are also an important source of food for many

animals. Cloudberries, cranberries and other fruiting
dwarf shrubs grow in abundance here. This, together
with the fact that they are away from any disturbance,
makes them ideal for breeding birds, such as the wood
sandpiper Tringa glareola, whooper swan Cygnus cygnus
and ruff Philomachus pugnax.

from agriculture and large-scale forestry activities.

Rivers are equally important but the majority have
been modified to provide hydro-electric power, inland
navigation or commercial fishing.
Other typical Boreal habitat types occur along the coast
and on the offshore islands, such as the Baltic esker islands
or narrow inlets.

Western taiga
Natural old growth forests in the Boreal Region are now extremely rare and represent
only a tiny fraction of the original habitat which once covered the region. Intensive
forestry has removed many of the characteristic features of natural forests: dead and
rotting wood, variation in tree size, age and species composition. Yet, these are essential
features for maintaining the rich array of forest plants and animals present.
The lack of natural regeneration through fires is another key problem. Forest fires
resulting from lightning strikes were once a common phenomenon and helped to
diversify the structure of the forest. Several species even became entirely dependent
on these events for their survival, such as the beetle, Stephanopachys linearis. Most fires
these days are however rapidly brought under control to avoid damage to neighbouring
commercial forests.

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

Natura 2000 sites

Western Taiga forest, central Finland prime habitat for great grey owls Jorma Luhta

Map of Natura 2000

sites in the Boreal
Region

Number of habitat types in Annex I and species or

sub-species in Annex II of the Habitats Directive.
Region

The list of Natura 2000 sites in the Boreal Region was first
adopted in January 2005 and later updated in November
2007 and again in December 2008. Altogether, within
the Boreal Region, there are 6,266 Sites of Community
Importance (SCIs) under the Habitats Directive covering
over 111,000 km and further 1,165 Special Protection
Areas (SPAs) under the Birds Directive. There is often
considerable overlap between some SCIs and SPAs which
means that the figures are not cumulative, nevertheless,
it is estimated that together they cover more than 12% of
the total land area in this region.

Region

Total area
covered
(km)

N
SCI

Terrestrial
area covered
(km)

Habitat types

Animals

Atlantic

117

80

52

Boreal

88

70

61

Continental

159

184

102

Alpine

119

161

107

Pannonian

56

118

46

Steppic

25

25

14

58

79

Mediterranean

Black Sea

146

158

270

Macaronesian

38

22

159

Source: European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity (European Environment Agency)

http://biodiversity.eionet.europa.eu
the figures are not cumulative since many habitats and species occur in two or more
biogeographical regions
Birds from Annex I of the Birds Directive are not listed as they are not categorized
according to biogeographical region

% of total
terrestrial
area

Total area
covered
(km)

N
SPA

Terrestrial
area covered
(km)

% of total
terrestrial
area

Atlantic

2,747

109,684

68,794

8.7

882

76,572

50,572

6.4

Boreal

6,266

111,278

96,549

12.0

1,165

70,341

54,904

6.8

Continental

7,475

150,014

135,120

10.8

1,478

147,559

128,432

12.4

Alpine

1,496

145,643

145,643

39.7

365

93,397

93,397

31.1

Pannonian

756

15,858

15,858

12.3

100

19,965

19,965

17.5

Steppic

34

7,210

7,210

19.4

40

8,628*

8,628

24.4

Black Sea

40

10,243

8,298

71.8

27

4,100

3,561

30.8

2,928

188,580

174,930

19.8

999

147,358

142,350

16.0

211

5,385

3,516

33.5

65

3,448

3,388

32.3

21,612

655,968

568,463

13.3

5,004

486,571

429,615

10.5

Mediterranean
Macaronesian
TOTAL

Source: European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity (European Environment Agency) http://biodiversity.eionet.europa.eu October 2008
SPAs and SCIs are not cumulative as there is considerable overlap between them
Some sites are on the border between two regions, the database does not allow for the possibility to split sites between regions, therefore some sites may be counted twice
Percentage of marine areas not available
SPAs are not selected according to biogeographical region
SPA area for the Steppic Region are calculated according to available GIS data

Plants

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

SACs
SPAs
SPA and SAC
Map based on site coordinates
supplied by the European
Commission through the
University of Leuven, Division
SADL, October 2008
Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

Natura 2000 species

Nutrient-poor clear water lakes, Sweden, prime habitat for Black-throated divers Mats Eriksson

Natura 2000
species in the
Boreal Region
The Boreal Region is relatively rich in species, considering
its latitude. Four mammals occur only here within the EU:
the flying squirrel Pteromys volans, the wild forest reindeer
Rangifer tarandus fennicus, the freshwater Saimaa ringed
seal Phoca hispida saimensis and the Baltic ringed seal
Phoca hispida bottnica. Lynx, beaver and brown bear are
also typical.
Characteristic invertebrate species include the hermit
beetle Osmoderma eremita, a priority species associated
with ancient deciduous trees and wooded pastures, and
the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera,
once common in unregulated stretches of the
Fennoscandian rivers.
Although relatively poor in vascular plants there are some
notable endemics, such as Alisma wahlenbergii, a small
water plant found primarily on emerging land upheaval
coasts. The larger Baltic islands of land and Gotland
in Sweden and Hiiumaa and Saaremaa in Estonia are
also particularly rich in rare endemics such as the land
wormwood Artemisia oelandica thanks to their calcareous
soils. Other typical species of the region include the
calypso orchid Calypso bulbosa, pendant grass Arctophila
fulva and Lapland buttercup Ranunculus lapponicus.
Over half of the European bird species breed in the
Boreal Region, including many of those listed in Annex I
of the Birds Directive. More easterly species from Russia
and beyond are found here and nowhere else in the EU.

Photo Jorma Luhta

Hundreds of thousands of water birds also migrate to the

region in summer in search of food, longer daylight hours
and undisturbed breeding grounds.
Some flock to the tranquil lakes, estuaries and coastal
wetlands, whilst other sensitive species, like the cranes
Grus grus and jack snipe Lymnocryptes minimus, prefer the
remote insect-rich mires and fens. Because so much of the
migration is concentrated in a relatively narrow channel in
the Gulf of Finland, its skies are often filled with migrating
birds in spring, offering a truly spectacular sight.
The islands, skerries and islets in the Baltic Sea also have
important colonies of seabirds. It is estimated that some
nine million seabirds overwinter in the Baltic every year.
Its importance as a wintering ground is underlined by
the fact that, during mild winters, over 90% of Western
Palearctic long-tailed ducks Clangula hyemalis and velvet
scoters Melanitta fusca and half of the divers, mergansers
and mute swans are to be found here.
Other characteristic bird species of the Boreal Region
are associated more with the forests. These include owls
and woodpeckers, as well as large game birds such as
the capercaillie Tetrao urogallus and willow
grouse Lagopus lagopus. Black stork
Ciconia nigra and rare raptors
such as the lesser spotted
eagle Aquila pomarina have
important populations in
the three
Baltic
states.
Further north,
species of Siberian
origin make their
appearance, such as the
Siberian jay Perisoreus
infaustus and Siberian tit
Calypso orchid
Parus cinctus.
Photo
Micheal OBriain

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

Photo Jouni Koskela

Photo Ari Meriruoko

The ringed seal is the smallest and commonest of the northern seal species. During the
last Ice Age, populations around the Baltic Sea and in the lake systems of Finland and
Russia were cut off from the sea and had to adapt to new aquatic conditions.
They eventually evolved into three distinct subspecies: the Saimaa ringed seal P. h.
saimensis, the Baltic ringed seal P. h. botnica and the Ladoga ringed seal P. h. ladogensis.
All three are unfortunately now threatened through a combination of habitat loss,
increased recreational pressure and fluctuating water levels in the lakes, combined with
entanglement in fishing nets and the accumulation of pollutants in their bodies.
A major conservation programme was launched to conserve the Saimaa ringed seal in
the lake systems of the Saimaa Region in Southern Finland. Since the start of the work,
seal numbers have increased to 200 but remain highly threatened due to the low
population size.

Forest reindeer Rangifer tarandus fennicus

Photo Mike Read

Hunted to extinction in Finland over a hundred years ago, the wild forest reindeer has
begun to return naturally to central eastern Finland from Russian Karelia. Its population
in Finland is currently estimated to be about 2,500 animals (including reintroduced
populations in the Suomenseik area). This species is well adapted to forests. It has
a slimmer build and longer legs than the semi-domesticated reindeer which are
descended from the mountain reindeer Rangifer tarandus tarandus. Its antlers are
also narrower enabling it to move fast through the forest. To prevent cross breeding,
the Finnish government has built an 85 km-long fence along the southern border of
the reindeer herding area. Significant tracts of forests are also now protected for the
species under Natura 2000.

Natura 2000 species

Ringed seals Phoca hispida

Common eider Somateria mollissima

Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus

The capercaillie is the largest species of grouse in the world and is a characteristic
bird of the coniferous forests of the Boreal Region. It has declined across most parts of
Europe. But in Finland and Sweden it remains a game bird, although populations are
starting to decline here too. The species is closely associated with the overall health and
structure of the forest: it needs open glades for its ritual mating displays and extensive
ground cover with Vaccinium berries for feeding its young. This is often best achieved
through a dynamic and selective forest management approach which ensures that
at all times there are enough of the above features in the forest to maintain a viable
capercaillie population.

Photo Jorma Luhta

The common eider is a typical species of the Baltic. It is most commonly found around
the 95,000 islands and skerries that make up the archipelagos off the coast of Finland
and Sweden. Although it is not a narrow food specialist, blue mussels constitute
an important part of the diet, which is in abundance in these shallow waters. It is
estimated there are as many as 300,000 breeding pairs in the Baltic today, representing
a substantial part of the world population. In recent years numbers have been on
the increase but this has not always been the case. Eider ducks were once hunted
extensively. Their down feathers were also collected from the nests to make warm
garments and duvets, hence, the origin of the word eiderdown to signify a type
of warm duvet.

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

management issues

Haademeeste, Estonia Photo Mati Kose/EU

Management
issues in the
Boreal Region
Although the Boreal Region has retained most of its
original species, including large carnivores, the area
covered by natural habitats is much reduced and under
increasing pressure. In terms of impact, commercial
forestry (based mainly on spruce, pine, birch and oak) has
had the greatest influence. Forestry is a major industry
in Sweden, Finland and in the Baltic States (in Latvia it
accounts for 20% of export earnings, Sweden 1520%,
Finland 3540%). In Finland, two-thirds of the mires are
utilised for commercial purposes, mainly forestry.

Selective felling, Finland Photo Pauliina Kulmala

The actual area covered by forest has grown thanks

to active planting, and the natural reforestation of
abandoned fields. However, very few of the truly natural
old-growth forests remain. Forestry practice based on
clear-felling and replanting, often with associated draining
and use of non-native species and fertilisers, has reduced
the areas of natural woodland to small islands within the
wider forest landscape.
To prevent further loss, several countries in the region
have introduced national programmes to buy up the
remaining natural forests so that they can be taken out
of production.
Many of the rivers in the Boreal Region have also been
modified to provide hydro-electric power and navigation.
In Sweden, for example, 72% of the rivers capable of
providing power have been exploited. Fishing is also very
popular and increasingly intensive in some areas.

Baltic coastal habitats

The Baltic coastline is, for the most part, very flat and shelves gently into the shallow
brackish waters of the Baltic Sea. There are no tides to speak of and much of the land is
relatively new having risen out of the water through the land upheaval process. These
provide ideal conditions for the development of the boreal Baltic coastal habitats which
are unique to this part of the world. Plants tolerant of varying levels of salinity co-habit
side by side, further influenced by centuries of grazing and mowing which helped to
create a diverse and highly species-rich mosaic landscape.
However, over the last 50 years, these valuable coastal meadows have started
disappearing at an alarming rate through the combined effects of lack of management
and large scale cooperative farming. In Estonia, now only around 8,000 ha of the
29,000 ha remains. In the mid-1990s governments and conservation NGOs began
a recovery programme for these habitats. Having removed the invading scrub,
management agreements were made with farmers to reintroduce grazing and
mowing on their land in exchange for regular payments. These payments have
since been integrated into a dedicated agri-environment schemes under Estonias
Rural Development Programme.

Marsh gladiolus
Photo Mati Kose/EU

10

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

Photo From best practice guide coastal

meadow management LIFE-Nature project

Rahja Peninsula Marko Sievnen, Rahjan saariston LIFE-Project

Climate change

Particular attention has been paid recently to devising

targeted agri-environment schemes that help support
and maintain such forms of traditional management. This
will be equally important for the floodplain meadows and
coastal habitats in the new Member States as pressure to
intensify agricultural production mounts.
In the far North of the region, agriculture is replaced by
reindeer herding which is a significant economic activity.
The scale is such that it also has direct and indirect impacts
on the natural environment.

The wolverine Gulo gulo

This elusive predator is the largest member of the Mustelidae family.
It lives in the remote tundra and boreal forests of Europe, Siberia and
North America. Sweden and Finland are the only countries in the EU
to host this highly endangered species (estimated population: ca 500
individuals). Although protected in both countries since the 1960s, its
numbers have not increased for at least 40 years. One possible cause
may be that parts of its territory overlap with that of the reindeer
herding districts of the Sami (Lapp) Communities. Although the law
allows problematic individuals to be shot, poaching remains the
greatest mortality factor amongst adult individuals.

The harvesting of wild berries and mushrooms is also an

important economic and recreational activity in the north.
This is usually only for local consumption and therefore
compatible with the requirements of Natura 2000,
provided that the species and habitats present are not
significantly affected by these activities.
Hunting is also a popular recreational activity in the
Boreal Region and one that can continue to be practiced
within Natura 2000 sites, provided that due care is taken
to ensure that it is sustainable and does not negatively
impact on the species protected under the Habitats and
Birds Directives.
Attitudes towards the large predators, however, remains
an issue of concern as emotions still run deep despite
dwindling populations and very few encounters with man.
The wolf population in Finland for instance is down to
around 200 animals yet they remain feared and hated.

Photo NHPA / Bill Coster

Agriculture is concentrated mainly in the south of the

region where, as elsewhere in Europe, there has been
much intensification in recent decades. By contrast, many
of the natural and semi-natural hay meadows and pastures
located in remote rural areas are now under increasing
threat of abandonment with only a fraction still under
active management.

management issues

The Boreal Region may expect an overall increase in average

annual temperature of at least 2C over the next 50 years. Most
of this increase is likely to occur in winter, resulting in increased
precipitation and a shorter period of ice cover on the lakes and in
the Baltic Sea. The consequences for ecosystems are difficult to
predict. Vegetation growth is likely to increase but so may the rate
of decomposition within the many mire complexes. There is also a
global concern that higher temperatures may lead to the release
of greenhouse gases from boreal forests and peat deposits. Native,
cold-tolerant species may retreat northwards as species with broader
habitat requirements move in from the south. Rare species such
as the Saimaa ringed seal, arctic fox and forest reindeer may all be
particularly badly affected in due course.

To address this issue, a new compensation system was introduced

in Sweden in the 1990s. The novelty of the system is that it is based
on the number of carnivores present in the area and not on the
number of reindeer killed. The more wolverines present, the higher
the payment rate, which in any case is higher than would otherwise
be paid for individual wolverine kills. This innovative system is
aimed at encouraging a greater tolerance of the species in reindeer
herding districts.

Natura 2000 in the Boreal Region

11

Natura 2000 in the

European Commission

European Commission

Natura 2000 in the

Steppic Region

Alpine Region

Natura 2000 in the

Continental Region

Macaronesian Region

Mediterranean Region

European Commission

Natura 2000 in the

Black Sea Region

Natura 2000 in the

Alpine Region

Natura 2000 in the

Natura 2000 in the

Black Sea Region

Steppic Region

Natura 2000 in the

Pannonian Region

Natura 2000 in the

Boreal Region

Natura 2000 in the

Natura 2000 in the

Pannonian Region

Natura 2000 in the

Continental Region

Boreal Region

Natura 2000 in the

Atlantic Region

Natura 2000 in the

Natura 2000 in the

Natura 2000 in the

Atlantic Region

KH-78-09-634-EN-C

In this series:

European Commission

Natura 2000 in the

Mediterranean Region

Natura 2000 in the

Macaronesian Region

The European Union has nine biogeographical regions, each with its own characteristic blend of vegetation,
climate and geology. Sites of Community Importance are selected according to each region on the basis of
national lists submitted by each Member State within that region. Working at this level makes it easier to
conserve species and habitat types under similar natural conditions across a suite of countries, irrespective of
political and administrative boundaries. Together with the Special Protection Areas designated under the Birds
Directive, the Sites of Community Importance selected for each biogeographical region make up the ecological
Natura 2000 network which spans all 27 countries of the EU.

Kerstin Sundseth