Areas in the Netherlands covered by the EU Birds and Habitats Directives

The Netherlands is obligated to register areas covered by the EU's Birds and Habitats Directives. These protected areas form part of the European "Natura 2000" network.

Current situation

The map shows the areas that had been registered (by the beginning of 2003) as Special Areas of Conservation under the terms of the Birds Directive (79 areas) and/or the Habitats Directive (134 areas). A number of areas are covered by both directives.

Policy objectives

Implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives is intended to create an ecological network - "Natura 2000" - within the European Union. Both the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive provide for the creation of Special Areas of Conservation.

Implementation

In the case of the Birds Directive, registration of an area with the EU also constitutes designation of that area. In the case of the Habitats Directive, the member state registers the area, which is then designated by the EU.

The Special Areas of Conservation registered under the terms of the Birds Directive are those areas that are among the five most important areas for the species of bird listed in Annex I of the directive and/or those areas which regularly accommodate at least 1% of the biogeographical population of one or more species of migratory waterfowl. In addition, an area only qualifies for registration if it is at least 100 hectares in size and has the formal status of nature area.

Registration of areas as Special Areas of Conservation under the terms of the Habitats Directive had been completed by the beginning of 2003. For this purpose, areas were selected which contain the habitat types listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive or the habitat of the species of flora and fauna listed in Annex II of the directive.

Other relevant information can be found at:

• Information of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Ministerie van LNV) about the Birds Directive areas in the Netherlands can be found at: www.minlnv.nl/international/
• The European Birds - and Habitats Directive can be found at:
  http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/introduction/
• Information about the European policies on Nature and Biodiversity can be found at:
  http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/
• Information about the Atlantic biogeographical region under which the Netherlands falls (including lists with relevant species and habitats) can be found at:
  http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/nature_conservation/natura_2000_network/biogeographic_regions/atlantic/