Natura Communities is a locally embedded nature conservation programme, guided by national policies on biodiversity, climate, and water.
Natura Communities builds capacity for local communities to deliver restoration projects, and provides a framework for an integrated approach to sustainable landscape management. The ultimate goal is to improve the conservation status in the Natura 2000 network, including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). By directly investing in communities within and adjacent to Natura 2000 sites, Natura Communities supports long-term conservation, where experience and expertise is developed and retained within local areas. Building capacity to engage in this type of work has two broad benefits; it delivers social benefits for people in these areas (e.g. through job creation) whilst improving the ecological quality and resilience of protected habitats.
Policy driven
- Birds and Habitats Directive
- National Biodiversity Action Plan
- Nature Restoration Regulation
- Common Agricultural Policy
- Water Framework Directive
- Climate Action Plan
Locally embedded
- Creating local employment
- Building knowledge and skills
- Raising awareness and education
- Engaging local stakeholders
- Sensitive to land management
- Meeting policy objectives
The essential elements for the successful delivery of a Natura Communities project include:
- Building the capacity for local communities across all levels of land restoration management
- Building and maintaining positive relationships with local communities and key stakeholders
- Supporting local communities to be effective and informed custodians of the land
- Retaining economic benefits in local areas
- Flexible employment with continuous professional development opportunities
- Ensuring compliance with regulations in policy and practice
- Adhering to good practice in restoration and monitoring techniques
- Standardisation in financial and technical reporting
- Partnership with external providers to enhance service delivery and fill gaps
