Posts by Jelke Brandehof
Crane twins for Natuurpunt
This spring, two cranes were born in the ‘Valley van de Zwarte Been’ (Valley of the Black Brook), an area managed by Eurosite member Natuurpunt in Belgium. It is the iconic and mythical bird’s first successful breeding case in Belgium ever. The twins carry the names Gru and Dru, and are the icing on the cake for the…
Read MoreTowards better implementation of the Nature Directives: a handbook
The EU Nature Directives (the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive) are the backbone of the European biodiversity policy, but their implementation needs improvement. The Commission Fitness Check of these Directives pointed – among other things – to problems regarding knowledge gaps and access to data and information. The disconnection between environmental scientists, decision makers and practitioners on relevant issues linked to nature…
Read More5th Natura 2000 monitoring workshop
Save the date for the 5th Natura 2000 monitoring workshop – Minimising the effects of observer variation by integrating field data and data from new technologies. The workshop will take place in Zagreb, Croatia from 19-21 October 2021 and will also serve as a Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process networking event. Please keep an eye on this…
Read MoreFirst twinning exchange after lockdown successful
The pandemic had its effect on the continuation of the Eurosite Twinning Programme, were unfortunately, in 2020 no twinning exchanges were able to take place. However, little by little the world is opening up again, which resulted in the first twinning visit of 2021: the WE Young People See Nature initiative visited the Dutch island…
Read More3rd Mediterranean Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process Seminar
From 4-7 May, the Third Mediterranean Natura 2000 seminar was hosted online by Sila National Park and the Region of Calabria. The Seminar was very well attended, gathering 124 registered participants from 10 countries in total. The seminar primarily focused on knowledge sharing, and besides larger plenary sessions and presentations, it included 18 facilitated sub-group meetings, a knowledge market and additional facilitated group discussions to…
Read MoreGlobal Peat Press Project
The Global Peat Press Project (GP3) campaign brings together international partners to highlight the importance of peatlands as vulnerable but valuable ecosystems. It is a coordinated media campaign from Eurosite member North Pennines AONB Partnership to promote the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) and toward the UNFCCC COP 26through the work of organisations throughout Europe and beyond. Through the campaign we wish to demonstrate to the world the role peatlands play in the fight against…
Read MoreMembers helping each other: Nature.house and Natuurpunt join forces for viper conservation
In the second half of 2020, Nature.house joined the Eurosite network as an associate member to gain easier access to a network of European conservationists. Their mission is to bring people closer to nature by providing tourists to book vacation homes that are basically in the middle of nature. The company likes to give something…
Read MoreNatural England taking the lead in preserving English peat
Good news from Eurosite member Natural England: England Peat Action PlanEngland’s peatlands are the largest terrestrial carbon store and are vital for capturing and storing carbon. They provide a range of other valuable benefits including biodiversity-rich ecosystems, improved water quality and natural flood management, the protection of historic environment features and connecting people with nature. However, only 13% of peatlands are in a near natural…
Read MoreWorld Migratory Bird Day 2021: sing, fly, soar — like a bird!
While what seemed like an everlasting winter slowly turns into a cold and wet spring, our migratory birds are not slowing down and are arriving in full force. Yellow wagtails, barn swallows and common redstarts are finally colouring our landscapes again and filling our skies with joyous chatter and song. The migrants eating insects are…
Read MoreRelive the Nature and Cities final workshop
In November 2020, the Nature and Cities project that focused on enhancing dialogue, know-how transfer and cooperation between civil society organisations of both Turkey and The Netherlands on environmental and sustainable development had its final international conference (online). A recording is now available online that illustrates project outcomes, predominantly on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions in Cities.…
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