Achievements & Objectives 2020/22 – Summary

Wild Europe with its partners has a rolling programme. Many activities and objectives are not promoted on our website, so if you are interested in receiving more information on any particular topic, please contact: info@wildeurope.org

Achievements for 2020/21

1. Support for key outcomes from EU Biodiversity Strategy (May 2020):

Call for the default for the definition of strict protection default to be complete non-intervention, with exceptions where necessary for managed habitats (secondary: grasslands, heathlands) adopted by European Habitat Forum and others.
One of 5 conservation NGOs appointed member of EC Working Group on Forests and Nature inputting to implementation of EU Strategies. Provision of briefing documents
Input to consultation on Restoration Targets
Multi-target representation to EC, EP, Council of Ministers, institutions of 10% strict protection wilderness targets (5% wilderness with scale, 5% wilderness attributes) and objectives in Action Plan for Wilderness and old Growth /Primary Forest

2. Ongoing promotion of key objectives in EU Forest Strategy

Multi-target representations: EC Working Group, EC, EP, Council of Ministers, institutions of 15% forest cover strict protection target
Promoted multi-criteria definition structure for OGF/primary forest, based on non-intervention
Development and promotion of manual for definitions, targets and management principles – included in European Forest Institute reference compendium for scientific literature
Coordination of international primary forest webinar co-hosted with Wild Heritage over 2 days in March 2021, with participation by MEPs and international experts
Development of LEAF initiative for forest protection and restoration

2a Stage II of Griffiths international primary forest programme:

Third stage of the 320,000 euro contract handed by Wild Europe to Frankfurt Zoological Society, jointly working on the following projects:

Ongoing promotion for adoption of Francesco Sabatini’s OGF mapping methodology for wider EU Biodiversity Strategy
Development of a forest carbon model with Heather Keith and others in the Griffith programme, distinguishing greater OGF storage capacity for use in PES funding
Provision for non-extractive enterprise models in East Slovakia: retail, ecotourism

2b Forest bioenergy strategy implementation:

Initiation of RECCS (Renewable Energy and Climate Change Strategy) project proposal with proposals for reallocation of subsidies for commercial scale forest bioenergy to climate and biodiversity friendly alternatives
End Fossil Fuels collaborative project promoted between fossil fuel and forest bioenergy campaign networks
Building anti-forest bioenergy, pro RECCS alliance including liaison with consumer organisations in the UK (Consumers International), Europe (BEUC) and globally

3. Large natural ecosystem (wilderness) area programme

Development of Action Plan for Wilderness and Old Growth/Primary Forest with its 10% wilderness target in Europe: 5% with all wilderness criteria, 5% wilderness characteristics but with relaxed scale requirement, natural process principles promoted for associated 20% EU target
Promotion of new model wilderness area in Hohe Tauern NP, Austria, designed to Wild Europe definition criteria
Ireland – linkage of Coillte project (now transferred to Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service) to EU Horizon NE Atlantic funding potential.
Inputs through our trusteeship of Fundatia Conservation Carpathia (FCC Romania)
Input of strategy to Clima Carpathia initiative for Carpathian Mountains

4. Development of national level strategies for wilderness

Development of a wild area definition in Europe, now under consultation, including development of a definition structure for wild areas proposal for Rewilding Britain
France – further engagement through Wild Europe’s membership of the IUCN wilderness Groupe de Travail, with funding for a mapping exercise, identifying model wild and prospective wilderness areas
Promotion of 2019 proposal for “France Sauvage”, a new wilderness network; joined the newly formed Coordination Libre Evolution network, which adopted Wild Europe’s definition criteria
Support in Slovakia for a wilderness strategy, linked to official wilderness targets (55% and 75%) in Slovakia NPs, and usage as model for wider adoption

5. Development of key topic/strategy agendas

Proposals for reform of European Investment Bank, as soft loan providing capacity builder for large-scale climate change mitigating ecosystem conservation
Participation in production of IUCN brief on rewilding
Promotion of the Wild Europe/Clifford Chance/Lifescape freehold + leasehold structure for long-term protection on privately owned land by model landowners, with extension now planned to further countries
Private sector incentives: paper produced on reform of compensation payment agenda
CAP reform proposals promoted: involving reallocation of payments towards ecosystem service provision, modification of GAEC regulations, input of Ecological Focus Area supplements tradable at regional level, and general promotion of a stronger socio-economic agenda in coordination with land user associations

6. Strengthening Wild Europe’s organisational capacity

Launch of Wild Europe Action Plan
Participation in IUCN CEM Group on Rewilding Thematic Group, and membership of IUCN cross-commission Rewilding Working Group
Initiation of Stichting legal designation in the Netherlands

Objectives for 2021/22

1. Support for key outcomes from EU Biodiversity Strategy (May 2020):

Strict protection to be applied to the 10% of EU terrestrial & marine areas, with non-intervention as its default mode – allowing exceptions where necessary for managed habitats (secondary: grasslands, heathlands)
Strict protection for the 3% remaining primary/old growth forest to be extended to 15% of EU forest cover – for maximum ecological function, consolidation, adequate buffering and connectivity of remnants (c of 6% total EU area)
Ongoing multi-target representations: to the EC Working Group on Forests and Nature, the EC, EP, Council of Ministers, and institutions on the above objectives together with general representation

2a. Promotion of key objectives in the EU Forest Strategy

Further promotion of a multi-criteria definition structure for OGF/primary forest

Promotion of 15% forest cover strictly protected and connected (echoing promotion to Biodiversity Strategy)

Promotion of reform of compensation system: levels, promotion, administration, calculation, monitoring

Promotion of LEAF initiative (Last European Ancient Forests) for forest protection and restoration through collective representation, Early Warning System, capacity building

2b. Stage III of Griffiths programme

Further usage of the 320,000 euro contract handed by Wild Europe to Frankfurt Zoological Society which is working on the following projects:

Promote adoption of Sabatini OGF mapping methodology and definition for wider EU Biodiversity Strategy implementation at MS level
Development of a forest carbon model with Heather Keith and others in the Griffith programme,
Support for community enterprise in Slovakia (Wolf Mountains initiative)
Launch of Forest School and wider replication
Development of forest website concept for non-intervention best practice

2c. Forest bioenergy programme

Developing anti-forest bioenergy alliance, including consumer groups
Project for reallocation of subsidies to effective address of climate change
Promotion for End Fossil Fuels to become End Carbon Fuels
Inputs to RED II reform, LULUCF consultation

3. Large Wilderness Area programme

Adoption of 10% wilderness target in Europe: 5% with all criteria, 5% characteristics but with relaxed scale requirement
Bialowieza Forest – ongoing consultation and relaunch of our concept plan for significant enlargement of the core area into the UNESCO World Heritage site, first suggested in 2014 and based on community wild nature enterprise and extensive restoration
Nephin, Ireland – Coillte project: Support for a broader restoration initiative
Continued input to Clima Carpathia initiative for Carpathian Mountains
Pursuit of original targets for Wolf Mountains programme (East Slovakia, West Ukraine, South East Poland)
Full activation of PES agenda: including mechanism deliverer network, matching exercise

4. Development of national level strategies for wilderness

Wider promotion of wild area definition in Europe, now under consultation, including proposal for rewilding UK National Parks system
IUCN France – funding for a mapping exercise, identifying model wild and prospective wilderness areas, and strategy for addressing restoration opportunities
Further input to Coordination Libre Evolution network
Promotion in Slovakia of wilderness targets (55% and 75%) in Slovakia NPs, and usage as model for wider adoption

5. Development of key topic/strategy agendas

Further promotion of the freehold/leasehold structure for long-term protection on privately owned land by model landowners in England and Scotland
Promotion of EC Wilderness Register Stage II: update and extension to non-EU countries including Emerald Network areas; link to mapping exercises
Proposal of reforms to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure
Private sector incentives: reform of compensation payment agenda; full activation of Payment for Ecosystem Services agenda

6. Strengthening Wild Europe’s organizational capacity

Launch of Wild Europe Action Plan
Launch of Wild Europe Stichting foundation in Netherlands
Development of direct project programme

Further information is available on all these initiatives, via info@wildeurope.org