Assessment of the value of natural Polish Natura 2000 network

Abstract

The Natura 2000 network includes two types of areas: Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for species other than birds, and for habitats. The main objective of the functioning of the Natura 2000 is to preserve certain types of natural habitats and species of plants and animals that are considered as a valuable and endangered species across Europe. In Poland, the Natura 2000 network, which is still developing, covers nearly one fifth of the land area. It consists of 845 areas very important to the European Union (areas of “habitat” – future special areas of conservation of habitats) and 145 special protection areas for birds. For each Natura 2000 area a panel of independent experts develop Standard Data Form (SDF), which contains the most important information about the location and size of the area, occurring types of natural habitats and species, their abundance or representative in the country and the natural values and threats. An integral part of the form is a digital map of the area (as a vector and raster). SDF and the borders of areas are often updated. The authors conducted a detailed assessment of the value Polish Protected areas Natura 2000 from the base, dated April 2012 (data for 961 areas). Two criteria were taken
into consideration : 1) the population of the species in a given area, and 2) the representativeness of habitats. The first evaluate typicality of habitat for describing patterns of natural or semi-natural conditions in which habitat and their characteristic flora and fauna is developing, the second – the size of the population in a given area compared to the national population (the larger the share, the greater the need to designate the area protected). From 325 species 19 left as a priority species within
14 areas and from 80 habitats there were 16 priority habitats within 282 areas – the results meet the objectives of the adopted procedure.