How wilderness contributes to the Green Infrastructure programme
Undisturbed ‘wilderness’ habitats have higher carbon storage capacity
The importance of wilderness and wild areas to a fully functioning ecosystem is stressed in a campaign launched by Wild Europe.
The EC Green Paper on Green Infrastructure, to be published in June, will seek to establish priorities for restoration in particular, as related to Target 2 of the new EU Biodiversity Strategy which focuses on reinstatement of 15% of degraded ecosystems in Europe by 2020.
“There is much the EC can do to enhance the already substantial contribution of wilderness to its Green Infrastructure programme – and it isn’t just about paying the bill” said Toby Aykroyd, Wild Europe director. “Facilitating new and innovative funding opportunities from ecosystem services and other sources is an equally important role”.
“The Green Paper should also include a strong protection agenda, focusing for example on inclusion of wilderness - particularly all remaining old growth forest - in forest management plans. It’s far cheaper to keep an existing ecosystem intact than to restore a degraded one”.
The benefits of wilderness and wild areas have a substantial role to play in this Green Infrastructure programme.
Successful wilderness forum at the European Parliament
Wilderness in the political arenaAlmost exactly three years after the EU Resolution in 2009 calling for improved support for wilderness passed by 538 votes to 19, a policy forum ’Protecting Wilderness in Europe’ was organized by PAN Parks and Wild Europe in the EU Parliament on 31st January 2012.
Presentations were opened by Pavel Poc, MEP (Czech Republic) who hosted the proceedings. He cited the vote in 2009, and suggested that the time was ripe for the profile of wilderness to be raised further.
Stefan Leiner, Head of Natura 2000 Unit (EC DG Environment), then outlined how the wilderness agenda was played an important role in Natura 2000. He confirmed that “wilderness is an essential mainstream element of the European Biodiversity Strategy.”
Targets needed for wilderness
Toby Aykroyd of Wild Europe Initiative stressed the need to establish targets for wilderness in Europe. A figure of 4-5% of land area was an ambitious but achievable goal. It could be gained by further reinstatement of near-wilderness together with ‘rewilding’ of marginal and abandoned farmland and forestry.
He echoed the information in Stefan Leiner’s presentation that some 2.3% of the EU land area, lying within the N2000 network, is already protected for its wilderness attrributes.
Zoltan Kun, director of PANParks, introduced their Million Project which aims to protect one million hectares of true wilderness across Europe. He also unveiled a new study on the contribution of wilderness to payment for ecosystem services titled ’The Economics of Wilderness’.
Contract awarded for the Wilderness Register
The European Commission has awarded the contract for development of the Wilderness Register to Alterra Wageningen UR. The Register will record the most important sites, enabling subsequent prioritization where there is need of protection. The framework for the Register, including a database and interactive mapping system, will be developed in 2012. Inputs will then be invited during an 18 month consultation exercise. The go-ahead for this project was announced in November 2010 at Wild Europe’s EC Presidency Conference on restoration by Stefan Leiner, Head of Unit for Natura 2000 at the European Commission. It represents an important step forward for strategy to tackle the most urgent threats to wilderness and wild areas. A proposal document for the Register was originally prepared and promoted by Wild Europe.
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World Wilderness Congress planned for Europe in 2013 Altamira cave paintings. A window on the past – and perhaps a pointer to future landscapes?
WILD10, the 10th World Wilderness Congress, is to be held in Salamanca, Spain from 4-10thOctober 2013. The event is likely to involve some 1500 - 2000 direct participants from around the world, together with several thousand more through social media. Support has recently been secured from the Spanish Environment Ministry to develop the planning phase. Further funding is now being sought. This international Congress will help substantially raise the profile for wilderness in Europe, majoring on its wide range of benefits for local interests – as well as its relevance in a global context. Wild Europe is a member of the Executive Committee.
Wild Europe 2011 - 2012
2011 was a successful year for Wild Europe and its partner organizations, albeit mainly working behind the scenes. 2012 has got off to a highly promising start and we will be raising our profile considerably in the next few months. For a strategic outline of our achievements and our aims over the coming year, |
The Million Hectare protection project moves ahead
The Million Hectare Project aims to safeguard 1 million hectares of European wilderness by 2015. Launched by PAN Parks, the initiative will build partnerships with managements of protected areas. It offers an urgently needed opportunity to upgrade the current scale of protection for wilderness. Although the World Database of Protected Areas cites more than 1 million hectares of wilderness in Europe, many are threatened and the areas involved are often comparatively small and fragmented. Who can become a Wilderness Partner? Eligibility to join PANParks Europe-wide wilderness movement is extended to protected areas containing wilderness (see definition) that are willing where necessary to improve their wilderness management.
Economic Benefits Group to be established
Focus will be on non extractive, no-impact benefits derived from ecotourism, ecosystem services and usage for social betterment: including youth development, healthcare, and conflict resolution. The group will initially comprise business people, economists, ecosystem specialists, landowners, farmers, social enterprise entrepreneurs – all of whom share a profound regard for wilderness as well as contributing their professional expertise. Of course the true intrinsic value of the wild is priceless. But there is no doubt that realization of its economic value can attract essential support for its protection and expansion. Further detail of this Group, including key areas of work, and participation, will be announced shortly.
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