Søgaard, B., Skov, F., Ejrnæs, R., Pihl, S., Fredshavn, J., R., Nielsen, K., E., Clausen, P., Laursen, K., Bregnballe, T., Madsen, J., Baastrup-Pedersen, A., Søndergaard, M., Lauridsen, T., L., Aude, E., Nygaard, B., Møller, P., Riis-Nielsen, T., Buttenschøn, R., M. - Technical Report from NERI no. 647, 92 s.
The Natura 2000 network in Denmark covers 254 areas designated under the EEC Habitats Directive, and 113 areas listed under the EEC Birds Directive, which together with 27 areas designated under the Ramsar Convention, are called international protection areas. In general, it can be said that these areas must contribute to the promotion and protection of nature and the biological diversity on a national and a European level by maintaining or restoring “favourable conservation status” for the habitat types and species for which the areas are designated.
The Danish Forest and Nature Agency, that manages the guidelines for setting the conservation objectives for the international protection areas, has requested the National Environmental Research Institute to draw up technical criteria for favourable conservation status for the various habitat types and species covered by the EEC Habitats Directive, and for birds covered by the EEC Birds Directive.
These criteria will form the background for preparing conservation objectives for both habitat types and species, for nature planning, and for monitoring programmes assessing the conservation status of the natural habitat types and species. Primarily, the report applies to a series of authorities and organisations working with the monitoring, protection, and management of Danish nature.
Criteria for favourable conservation status
Chapter 3 states the criteria for favourable conservation status on a national as well as a local level for the 51 terrestrial and limnetic natural habitat types, listed in Annex I of the EEC Habitats Directive Annex I, which occur in Denmark.
Each criterion is given its own indicators, which can all be related to the three general points that must be fulfilled according to the Habitats Directive in order to ensure a favourable conservation status for the natural habitats. The three general points are: 1) area and range, 2) structure and function, and 3) characteristic species.
Chapter 4 states the criteria for favourable conservation status on a national as well as a local level for the 36 species, listed in Annex II of the EEC Habitats Directive. The species are divided into the following groups: mammals, amphibians, fish, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, pseudoscorpions, snails, mussels, vascular plants and mosses.
National level criteria are given for the aggregate size of the populations and habitats, and for the natural range, whereas the local level criteria deal with the size of the specific population and the specific habitat as well as the quality of the habitat.
Chapter 5 states the criteria for favourable conservation status of 74 species and sub-species of birds covered by the EEC Birds Directive. Favourable conservation status has been given to 68 species on both a national and local level, whereas for six species that are currently immigrating, and which have not yet been breeding regularly in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region></st1:place> for a period of 12 years, the preliminary conservation status is given only on a local level. Chapter 5 includes 41 species of breeding birds listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive, and 37 species and sub-species of regularly recurring migratory birds.
Criteria have been given on a national level for the aggregate size of populations and habitats, and for the development of the natural range, whereas the local level criteria deal with the number of the specific population and the specific habitat as well as the quality of the habitat.
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