Achievements 2021/22

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

• Representation for the definition of strict protection default to be complete non-intervention, with exceptions where necessary for managed habitats (secondary: grasslands, heathlands) adopted by EC and others, and echoed in IUCN Resolution 127 (below)
• Promotion of 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 representation: EC Working Group, EC, EP, Council of Ministers, institutions
• Inputs to update 2015 EC Guidelines on Forest (Management) and Natura 2000
• Representation to Nature Restoration Law consultation

2. Ongoing promotion of key objectives in EU Forest Strategy

• IUCN Resolution 127 at Marseilles conference in October 2021, calling for improved support for protection and restoration of old growth forest in Europe, including complete cessation of logging, voted by 674 members of whom 93 Category A (including governments), based on Wild Europe’s 2018 OGF Protection Strategy 
• Coordination of collection of case studies for EC on non-intervention management in N2000 forests
• Usage of Wild Europe manual for definitions, targets and management principles – included in European Forest Institute reference compendium for scientific literature
• Contribution to EC Joint Research Centre (JRC) OGF mapping project 
• Promotion of LEAF initiative for forest protection and restoration
• Representations to consultations on EU Forest Strategy, Forest Monitoring & Strategic Planning
• Promotion of outcomes from international primary forest webinar co-hosted with Wild Heritage over 2 days in March 2021, with participation by MEPs and international experts
• Input as member of IUCN WCPA core team on primary forest policy implementation 

2a  Stage III of Griffiths international primary forest programme.

• Final stage of the 320,000 euro contract handed by Wild Europe to Frankfurt Zoological Society, working on the following projects:
• Ongoing promotion for adoption of Francesco Sabatini’s OGF mapping methodology for wider EU Biodiversity Strategy
• Further development of forest carbon model 
• Preparation of a dedicated forest website for overseeing implementation of the forest related protection and restoration from the EU Biodiversity and Forest Strategies
• Community enterprise – retail established, tourism planned
• Forest Summer School model programme initiated

2b  Forest bioenergy strategy implementation:

• Completion 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 
• Further building anti-forest bioenergy, pro RECCS alliance  
• Promoting closer linkage of forest bioenergy and fossil fuel campaign networks, under the banner End Carbon Fuels, organizing webinars in November 2021 (co-hosted with Europe Beyond Coal with c 40 NGOs) and May 2022 involving key MEPS, scientists from EASAC and other institutions and a range of NGO specialists. 
• Exchange of good practice on representations to investor interests. Liaison with finance specialist fossil fuel campaign organisations
• Representations to consultations on Zero emissions, LULUCF, carbon farming and biomass finances 

3. Large natural ecosystem (wilderness) area programme

• Further promotion of Action Plan 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 – with linkage to mapping exercise and EU objectives in Biodiversity Strategy
• Development of an EU Horizon bid for largescale natural ecosystem restoration – involving formation of an international research network of universities and institutes
• Inputs through our trusteeship of Fundatia Conservation Carpathia (FCC Romania), which has now secured protection in perpetuity for 27,000 hectares of forests and other habitats, and hunting-free conservation for 93,000 hectares
• Ongoing promotion of Clima Carpathia initiative for Carpathian Mountains
• Bialowieza Forest – discussion with Polish NGOs 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

4. Development of national strategies for wilderness

• Further promotion of a wild area definition in Europe
• Iceland – input to launch of mapping strategy with Wildland Research Institute, introduced by Environment Minister, as basis for wilderness identification and protection strategy, based on Wild Europe definition criteria
• Inputs to the England National Tree Strategy, UK National Parks rewilding initiative, and Nature Based Enterprise report
• Ireland – linkage of Coillte project (now transferred to Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service) to EU Horizon NE Atlantic funding potential. Liaison on Wild Nephin project, and liaison with Irish Wildlife Trust, including a webinar, for a broader restoration initiative
• France – Presentation of rewilding strategy to 200 managers at Réserves Naturelles de France (RNF) 40^th anniversary conference. Further input to newly formed Coordination Libre Evolution network; further engagement through Wild Europe’s membership of the IUCN wilderness Groupe de Travail, particularly on funding, with further funding for a mapping exercise to identify model wild and prospective wilderness areas 
• Coordination of campaign to protect iconic Lake Ferto in Hungary from largescale tourism development – a model for IUCN Category 2 protection principles

5. Development of key topic/strategy agendas

• Participation in COP26 in Glasgow, with inputs to multiple sessions including ‘climate smart forestry’, forest bioenergy
• Participation in CBD SBSTTA meetings in Geneva on primary forest and financial instruments for avoiding deforestation (sovereign bonds)
• Further promotion of the freehold/leasehold structure for long-term protection on privately owned land by model landowners, with extension now planned to further countries
• Promotion of private sector incentives: reform of compensation payment agenda; full activation of Payment for Ecosystem Services agenda
• Input through membership of Freshwater Specialist Group

6. Strengthening Wild Europe’s organizational capacity

• Launch of Wild Europe Stichting foundation in Netherlands
• Appointment of trustee Board
• Establishment of office in Amsterdam
• Development of direct project programme

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

Objectives 2022/23

This section is the initial element for 2023, and will be developed further

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

• Development of Restoration Strategy, with symposium in Alicante at Society for Ecological Restoration, European Chapter (SERE) Conference to inform and initiate this 
• Strict protection as adopted 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)
• A multi-habitat Restoration Strategy to be developed in support of the above aims
• Promotion of proposals for a Restoration Law to accompany this
• A mapping exercise to identify existing and new large natural ecosystem areas to be developed and promoted in support of the Restoration Strategy
• Building common ground with EUSTAFOR, CEPF, European Forest Institute and European Landowners Organisation, based on: compensation reform, activation of the PES agenda, agreement on definitions and targets
• 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 
• A petition to be developed in support of these representations
• Promotion of ecology modules in agricultural college curricula

1b Promotion of key objectives in the EU Forest Strategy

• Further promotion of a multi-criteria definition structure for OGF/primary forest
• Further promotion of 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)
• Input into Close To Nature (CTN) forestry, including non-tree elements & mixed habitat
• Clear, full non-intervention definition of strict protection, deforestation, degradation 
• 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
• Promotion of ecology modules in forest college curricula

1c  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
• Promotion of forest carbon model, distinguishing greater OGF storage capacity of unmanaged forests
• Support for community enterprise in Slovakia (Wolf Mountains initiative)
• Promoting launch of Forest School and wider replication
• Development of forest website concept for non-intervention best practice

 1d  Forest bioenergy programme

• Development by consultancies of RECCS (Renewable Energy and Climate Change Strategy) project proposal for reallocation of subsidies for commercial scale forest bioenergy to climate and biodiversity friendly alternatives  
• Comprehensive lobbying plan for UK and EU in support of the above 

• Building the anti-forest bioenergy, pro RECCS alliance including liaison with consumer organisations, taxpayer associations, enterprise and investor interests 
• Promoting further linkage of forest bioenergy and fossil fuel campaign networks, under the banner End Carbon Fuels
• Further exchange of good practice on representations to investor interests. Liaison with finance specialist fossil fuel campaign organisations, 
• Inputs to RED II reform, LULUCF and biomass finance consultation

2. Large natural ecosystem (wilderness) area programme 

• Adoption of 10% wilderness target in Europe: 5% with all criteria, 5% characteristics but with relaxed scale requirement – review of potential for enlargement/linkage of existing areas (see 1a above)
• Nephin, Ireland – Coillte project: Support for a broader restoration initiative
• Continued input to Clima Carpathia initiative for Carpathian Mountains
• Linkage of German wilderness strategy progress to PES agenda
• Proposals for high profile European model element of FCC Romania’s work
• Full activation of PES agenda: including mechanism deliverer network, matching exercise
• Reiteration of Wolf Mountain project objectives

3. Development of national level strategies for wilderness

• Focus on 5% core area with PES support for UK
• Further promotion of wild area definition in Europe
• IUCN France Groupe de Travail and Coordination Libre Evolution network: promotion of strategy, Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) usage, action against Rural Law on de-wilding
• Support for Czech Republic wilderness strategy

4. Development of key topic/strategy agendas

• Roadless legislation: benefits and development support project
• Incorporation of fore resilience into restoration strategy
• Adoption of the freehold/leasehold structure for long-term protection on privately owned land by model landowners in England and Scotland, and extension to EU countries
• Development of EC Wilderness Register Stage II: update and extension to non-EU countries including Emerald Network areas; link to mapping exercises
• Reforms to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure
• 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

5. Strengthening Wild Europe’s organizational capacity

• Adoption of funding strategy
• Appointment of further personnel
• Assessment of land purchase options