Efficient Managers for Efficient Natura 2000 Network
Communications is at the heart of all Protected Area work, whether writing a report or a press release, chairing a public meeting, giving a presentation, writing an email or a tweet. It is everywhere, yet, often Protected Area staff have concerns that inadequate communication is hampering their effectiveness to manage effectively their N2000 or other protected sites.
Recognising this need, EUROPARC partnered with the ProPark – Foundation for Protected Areas – who lead a project that also involves the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Metropolitan Agency for Sustainable Development Brasov (RO). Together the project partners collaborate to implement “Efficient Managers for Efficient Natura 2000 Network”, a three year project (from September 2012 until July 2015) mainly financed by the European Union DG Environment´s LIFE+ Communication programme.
The aim of the project is to increase the management capacity and support for Natura 2000 sites in Romania by developing site managers´communication skills and supporting the integration of biodiversity concerns in territorial planning processes in and around Natura 2000 sites.
One component of the project is to develop and disseminate good practice guidance and improve the skills and capacity of site managers to communicate Natura 2000 issues. This will be achieved by a high quality communications-training programme and the production of a communication seminar programme, manual and toolkit for Natura 2000 managers.
A further component is to support the improvement of territorial planning in Romania. This incorporates biodiversity concerns, by providing guidance to the most important economic sectors that are using land and natural resources. Through this training, they will learn how they can actively contribute to the development of regional territorial plans which are looking at biodiversity concerns and the objectives of the Natura 2000 network.
Both the development of communication toolkit, training manual and course materials, as well as a model of regional planning which recognises the management needs of N2000 within it, will be made available to EUROPARC members on completion of the project.
See more information about the Communication Training Seminar