Connected by Nature: Ecological Connectivity in and around Protected Areas

This webinar was organised to celebrate the 2026 European Day of Parks and took a closer look at ecological connectivity in and beyond Protected Areas.

Summary

Strong, resilient ecosystems depend on ecological connectivity. These connections support the movement of flora and fauna and ensure that nature is not fragmented, but truly connected.

As such, it is clear that protecting nature is not enough — we must reconnect it. Protected Areas are at the heart of this transformation. As the building blocks of Europe’s ecological networks, they help turn policy ambition into practical action on the ground. Through cross-border cooperation, habitat restoration, corridor creation, and long-term stewardship, Protected Areas are actively restoring connections across landscapes.

Alongside this, organisations such as Rewilding Europe are working at a broader European scale to support wildlife movement and reconnect habitats across landscapes. Through its landscape teams, efforts are underway to enable ecological corridors and improve connectivity between natural areas, both within and beyond Protected Areas.

This webinar explored ecological connectivity from three perspectives: at the European scale, the landscape scale, and within Protected Areas.

Participants first heard from the NaturaConnect project and its aim of creating a truly coherent Trans-European Nature Network (TEN-N). Presenter Jeremy Dertien provided insights into the different connectivity models created within the project and how these findings can help prioritise areas for ecological connectivity. His presentation was followed by Simone Prestes Dürrnagel, who introduced the NaturaConnect Learning Platform. The Learning Platform offers a range of self-paced modules designed to assist those working to implement the vision of the TEN-N.

Creating connections across borders is particularly important — and brings its own set of challenges. The EUROPARC Transboundary Parks Programme supports Protected Areas that operate across national borders. During the webinar, participants heard from the certified Transboundary Area Maas-Schwalm-Nette on the Dutch-German border. Director André Claassen shared two examples of ecological connectivity projects implemented on the ground, providing intersting insights on how these projects are implemented in practice and what cross-border collaboration really involves.

Finally, we virtually traveled to Portugal to hear from Marta Cálix. Participants discovered how Rewilding Portugal is working beyond Protected Area boundaries in the Greater Côa Valley, restoring habitat connectivity across privately owned and unprotected land — showing how connections can be rebuilt at scale.