The LIFE PAME-Europe project will create a groundbreaking framework for assessing Protected Area Management Effectiveness in Europe. You can be among this first to test and help improve the framework!
The LIFE PAME-Europe project is pleased to announce the official Call for Pilot Sites. Protected Areas across Europe are invited to apply and become part of a landmark initiative to strengthen Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) for Europe’s Protected Areas. The application process is open until 12th of December 2025!
Why Become a Pilot Site?
By using and applying the Framework, Protected Areas, National Authorities and EU Member States will be enabled to better know how to improve the management of their sites, protect biodiversity, report its condition, and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures against conservation objectives
Pilot sites will have the unique opportunity to:
- Apply and test the LIFE PAME-Europe Framework for Management Effectiveness Evaluation between March and December 2026.
- Contribute to shaping a European-wide tool to assess, improve, and report on the management of Protected Areas.
- Join a co-learning community of PAME practitioners and benefit from tailored training, guidance, and access to the European Nature Academy (ENA).
- Receive a small financial contribution for training-related and local pilot activities.
- Gain visibility as leaders in Management Effectiveness (ME): selected pilot sites will be recognised as “Protected Areas of Excellence in ME Assessment”, with 5–10 outstanding sites awarded at the end of the project.
Who Can Apply?
Eligible sites include:
- Natura 2000 sites
- National Authorities with responsibilities for designated Protected Areas reporting to the European Environment Agency (EEA)
- Sites located in the EU27 or wider Europe (e.g. Parties to the Bern Convention, pre-accession countries)
Applicants must commit to:
- Participating in the online Induction Meeting (10.30 to 12.00 CET on 29 January 2026), the Training Seminar in Prague (10–11 March 2026), and online training sessions between March & December 2026.
- Testing & applying the PAME-Europe Framework and EEA IT tool.
- Providing feedback via an online evaluation questionnaire.
- Signing a Commitment to Participate agreement, counter-signed by their organisation.
All applicants must designate at least one staff member (with B2 English proficiency or higher) to lead participation in the pilot process.
Selection Process & Timeline
45 pilot sites will be selected. The pilot Protected Areas will be selected to balance EU and wider European representation.
- 7 October 2025 – Call for pilot sites opens at the EUROPARC Conference
- 12 December 2025 – Deadline for applications (via online form)
- January 2026 – Applications reviewed by the Selection Panel
- 23 January 2026 – Deadline to finalise agreements with selected sites
- 30 January 2026 – Final list of pilot sites announced
- March 2026 – December 2026 – Pilot phase implementation
The selection criteria include compulsory eligibility (Protected Area status, staff commitment, English proficiency), primary criteria (balance across countries, regions, habitats, and management categories), and bonus criteria (motivation, willingness to share experiences, and long-term commitment).
What to Expect as a Pilot Site
- Participation in a costs-covered two-day Training Seminar (10–11 March 2026, in Prague).
- Access to dedicated training materials, expert guidance, and one-to-one support.
- The opportunity to host site-visit training sessions for up to 50 local Protected Area practitioners (April 2027–March 2028) – 10 host pilot sites will be selected based on their participation in the pilot testing phase.
- Opportunities to showcase experiences through interviews, case studies, as well as in webinars during the LIFE PAME-Europe Project.
- A certificate of participation upon completion.
The commitment to being part of an active, co-learning community of PAME practitioners is a prerequisite.
Do you not want to become a pilot site, but would you like to stay up to date with the project? Join the Management Effectiveness Community mailing list!
Existing Data
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If it is a Natura 2000 sites check here: https://natura2000.eea.europa.eu/. The exception here is any site designated in the last 12 months not yet sent to the EEA.
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If it is a nationally designated sites, try here https://dd.eionet.europa.eu/services/siteCodes. You can also check by a name search of geography search on the Protected Planet website as the EEA share the data with them to include in this website.
Time Inputs
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Time required to return a signed (pro-forma) Agreement to Participate – estimated 2 hours for internal processing/ obtaining signatures/ emailing etc.
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Time required for the online Induction meeting – 1.5 hours on 29 January 10.30 to 12.00 CET.
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Time required to participate in the 2-day Training Seminar, 10 & 11 March 2026 in Prague – allow 4 days to include travel time.
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Time to participate in scheduled online training events – indicatively 2 x 1.5 hours on average per month April to December, but probably with a break during July & August. (NB. We will encourage active participation wherever possible. However, should any unavoidable circumstances make it impossible to join, all online training events will be recorded for later viewing.)
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Time to apply, test and evaluate the PAME-Europe Framework & EEA data collection tool – this is difficult to quantify, but should not be excessive. Also, some time may be required for additional data collection, though this depends on what data applicant Protected Areas already have.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted via the official online application form. Each applicant must provide:
- Confirmation of eligibility and commitment to all required activities.
- One lead nominated staff member, plus a replacement stand-in.
- A Motivation Statement, explaining why they wish to participate as a PAME-Europe pilot Protected Area, expected benefits, and commitment beyond the project’s duration.
Applications close on 12 December 2025.
To the online application form!
Management Effectiveness Community
A core component of the LIFE PAME-Europe project is the establishment of a Management Effectiveness Community (MEC). This group, comprising key stakeholders and tool users, will offer valuable feedback and share on-the-ground experiences to ensure the methodology meets real-world needs. If you do not want to be a pilot site, but you’d like to stay up to date with the project development, we invite you to join the MEC!
Join LIFE PAME-Europe as a Pilot Site and help shape the future of management effectiveness in Europe’s Protected Areas. By participating, you will be able to self-assess how effective your management actions are to achieve progress towards your conservation objectives and outcomes. Importantly though, you will be actively contributing to building a robust, inclusive, and practical ME framework that will benefit biodiversity across Europe.
The LIFE PAME-Europe Project is made up of the following consortium:
They are supported by PAME experts through the External Advisory Board.