Annex
2
Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy |
Justification
of focus of the Action Plan on landscapes, ecosystems and species
Currently,
there is an overall negative trend for many landscapes, ecosystems and
species, which has effects on the quality of human life. To redress the
balance and find the appropriate response on the international level,
it is important to focus the Strategy on ecosystems and landscapes of
nature conservation value for the whole of Europe and its regions. Such
nature conservation value is determined according to the following criteria:
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Biological Diversity:
Actions should be prioritized in areas of greatest biological diversity,
which are determined according to:
- Naturalness: minimally man-altered
areas, where the ecosystem and species composition is closest
to the original natural habitat;
- Diversity: areas with a wide range
of habitats, species and/or genotypes; including those maintaining
the genetic diversity of traditional varieties and races;
- Representativeness: areas with habitats
that are typical of a region;
- Threat or rarity: areas with types
of habitats, species and/or genomes that are suffering environmental
stress;
- Size: areas that are large enough
to be sustainable for biological and landscape diversity in Europe;
- Endemism: populations restricted
to local areas or to Europe;
- Cultural biodiversity: including
habitats/species of cultural, aesthetic or regional identity.
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Landscape Diversity:
Actions should maintain and enhance natural and cultural landscapes
of European significance, determined by:
- the main geological land forms that
characterize the geological/climatic zones based on four criteria:
rarity, uniqueness, representativity and naturalness. Geological
features may include untouched river systems, pingos, eskers,
dune systems, coastal barriers, dolines, domes and fossil biota;
- the combined application of ecologically
sound processes and sustainable use of natural resources;
- the non-intensive management of
semi-natural habitats for fauna and flora;
- regionally and culturally distinct
land use and settlement patterns, including field systems, terraces,
historic houses and estates. Cultural features can include rural
vernacular architecture, historic parkland estates, ancient drove
routes, canals and ditches, moats, fishponds, man-made waterways,
traditional settlement and field system patterns;
- outstanding scenic quality representing
the visual characteristics of the natural and cultural landscapes
of the continent.
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Criteria concerning nature conservation value
can be interpreted to demonstrate that the focus of the Strategy concentrates
in priority on:
- Ecosystems of greatest biological diversity:
forests, mountains, European rivers, grasslands, inland wetlands, coastal
and marine systems;
- Land/seascapes of most significant
European-wide concern: tundra, taiga, uplands, bocages, open fields,
steppic/arid landscapes, regional landscapes and artificial landscapes;
- Species under threat of extinction.
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