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Henk Zingstra and Ben Le Bas | 13.06.2023

Above: Red Admiral in its territory

Do you want to help raise the standards of nature conservation management across Europe by sharing your experience and knowledge, exchanging views and bringing site managers together from across Europe?

Then join Eurosite’s Management Planning Expert Group (EMPEG). We are a team of protected area managers, past and present, academics and ecologists and practitioners.

EMPEG was established in 2017 to review Eurosite’s essential management planning guide that provides solutions for protecting and managing protected areas by providing background information and best practice advice. The online toolkit covers

    • monitoring plans,
    • the management planning cycle,
    • the inclusion of stakeholders in decision-making,
    • conservation grazing and planning for climate change.

It provides information without being prescriptive; anyone working on natural site management can select whatever information they want to be offered through this portal. But keeping the toolkit up-to-date is demanding and requires continuous time and expert input.

We want to add new aspects to it. For instance, we think guidance around implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation should be included. That could include identifying potential restoration areas, designing and implementing effective restoration plans, and determining successful restoration techniques. We also feel that there is too much focus on the toolkit’s text. Its presentation could be significantly improved by adding images, audio-visuals and graphics.

EMPEG has now broadened its role beyond management planning. We organise webinars, workshops, field visits and training, and develop and promote Protected Areas Management Effectiveness (PAME) standards.

The tasks and activities EMPEG aims to carry out our ambitious. So, we are looking for new members who can bring their enthusiasm, knowledge and experience to our group.

Does that resonate with you? Email us at info@eurosite.org if you want to join us or ask for more information.

 

Below: Flugplatz Menz, an abandoned airstrip for agricultural aviation, today an example of high biodiversity, managed by NABU Gransee, Germany; photo Hans von Sonntag