Due to Polish accession to the European Union, Poland is obliged to establish and protect territories included into the NATURA 2000 network. All EU member states share these legal obligations.

The main aim of NATURA 2000 network is to protect areas in the European Union covering fragile and valuable natural habitats and species of particular importance for the conservation of biological diversity within the territory of EU. Member States have committed themselves to halting the loss of bio-diversity in the EU by 2010. As emphasized by the EU authorities, the biggest threat to bio-diversity is mankind. Through their activities, people contribute to the loss of habitats and species. In order to maintain bio-diversity in the EU, the Member States reinforce their national legislation and upgrade their nature conservation practices.

The so-called Birds Directive (1979) and Habitats Directive (1992) are two main EU directives related to nature protection. They constitute the legal basis for NATURA 2000. The areas established on the basis of Bird Directive are called Special Protection Areas (SPA). The list of bird species considered as endangered or rare at the European or global level is included in the annex to the bird directive.

The areas established on the basis of Habitat Directive are called Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). These are the sites designated by the Member States where the necessary conservation measures are applied for the maintenance or restoration of the natural habitats and/or the populations of the species for which the site is designated (434 plant species and 200 animal species, excluding birds).

EU Directives list specific criteria to be fulfilled by any of the NATURA 2000 areas. However, the directives state what is to be protected without saying how it is to be done. The creation of the NATURA 2000 network is a very important and difficult task, based upon a dialogue between the Member States and the Candidate Countries and the European Commission. First, national lists of candidate NATURA 2000 areas must be prepared. National list of potential Sites of Community Interest (pSCIs) are submitted to the European Commission. Territories are selected according to a number of explicit criteria, including the conservation status of the site or the importance of the site at national level for the conservation of species and habitats mentioned by the Directive.

In the second stage, member states discuss the preliminary national list of candidate sites at bio-geographical seminars organized by the Nature Topic Centre of the European Environment Agency, in order to finally identify Sites of Community Interest (SCIs) to be included into the NATURA 2000 network.

When a territory has been designated an SCI, the Member State is obliged to designate it a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) within the following six years. Once this designation has taken place, the member state assumes full responsibility for active compliance with the obligation to maintain a favourable conservation status for the species and habitats for which the sites have been designated.

The designation of Special Protected Areas (SPAs) is anticipated in the Birds Directive. SPAs are nominated mainly for the protection of the most rare and endangered bird species at the European level, including migratory bird species. The Special Protected Areas (SPAs) are designated during one stage and are directly included into the NATURA 2000 network.

According to the financial forecasts, the existence of NATURA 2000 network shall cost up to 6 milliard euro per year. The EU money comes mainly from the LIFE found of European Environment Agency. However, the conservation of NATURA 2000 areas shall also be financed by the members states. Protection for the selected territory means that each Member State is obliged to ensure a favourable conservation status for relevant habitats and species.

The EU legal acts do not state how the natural values of the given area are to be protected. The specific management requirements and necessary restrictions on activities carried out within and around sites will vary, since the peculiarities of habitats or species and their conservation status in each case will have to be taken into account.

Thus, sometimes it will be enough not to drain a valley, not to fell a tree, not to turn pastures and meadows into building sites. In the majority of cases the protection will mean preserving a given area in its present state. In other cases a more varied and sustainable agriculture will solve the nature conservation problem, in others – restricting the process of industrialization will be a solution.

In principle, the Directives allow any activity in the NATURA 2000 territories which does no harm to the specific values of nature covered by the Directives. Sometimes all practical activities carried out in a protected territory may continue without any further restrictions.

If any of the Member States does not fulfill its duties as far as conservation of NATURA 2000 areas is concerned, the EU Commission shall take legal action against it.

Check also: About Natura 2000