Fagaras wilderness goes from strength to strength

A special award for the directors of FCC

Recognition for an outstanding conservation achievement

Barbara and Christoph Promberger, directors of Fundatia Conservation Carpathia in Romania, last week received the highly prestigious Federal Cross of Merit from German Federal President Steinmeier.

Their work in protecting very large areas of wild forest and montane shrub and grassland, for nature and local communities, was described as “outstanding”.

At its heart is their dedication to supporting creation of a world class 250,000 hectare National Park in the Fagaras Mountains, aiming to address the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, while benefiting the regional economy.

Can massive Highland restoration save the salmon from regional extinction?

The fate of one of the world’s most iconic species hangs in the balance across the Highlands of Scotland, and in many other parts of Europe.

Due to climate change, water temperatures now frequently surpass the crucial 23 degree level above which survival of the Atlantic salmon is not sustainable.

Wild Europe is engaging through its associate The European Nature Trust (TENT) in initiation of a massive ecological restoration programme to save the salmon and its aquatic habitat. But can this be implemented in time?

New mapping initiative to support natural ecosystem area conservation

Protection and extension of wild areas has received a significant boost with the publication of CARTNAT, a high-resolution process to identify and measure levels of naturalness in France.

CARTNAT can help improve protection of existing natural areas, and locate potential for restoration and connectivity. Backed by Wild Europe, the initiative offers timely support for policy makers and practitioners, and has potential for replication across Europe.

Wild Europe with consortium wins large EU Horizon project for forest ecosystem support

A large EU funded initiative for safeguarding carbon and biodiversity rich forests is to be undertaken by a group of eighteen organisations led by the University of Oulu in Finland.

Wild Europe Foundation played a key role coordinating the preparatory stages and selecting the locations for in-depth study. It is now helping coordinate the implementation.

Over the next four years our contribution will focus mainly on formulating and communicating policy recommendations as well as identifying socio-economic benefits of ecosystem services. These will be linked to relevant legal contexts across a range of forest types and management practices.

Wild Europe launches the RECCS Report at COP29

The RECCS Report, Renewable Energy and Climate Change Strategy calling for cessation of commercial scale solid (forest) bioenergy and reallocation of subsidies to costed alternatives for addressing climate change, was launched at COP 29 on 14^th November. See the summary leaflet and a main document.

The Report was produced by Trinomics Consultants, energy advisors to the European Commission and national governments, and commissioned by Wild Europe.

Some 65,000 delegates registered at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, with key issues at stake including agreement on climate funding for developing countries, and the impact of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement by the forthcoming US Trump regime.

Wild Europe also promoted two other key initiatives at the COP: closer links between fossil fuel and solid bioenergy campaign networks, and an International Shareholder Action Plan to promote diversification of climate action, using the reallocated subsidies from solid bioenergy.

Read more…

Enterprise element of successful Sumava NP programme to be assessed

Sumava and Bayerischerwald: non intervention at the heart of Europe

Wild Europe’s initiative to identify local community enterprise opportunities in and around Sumava National Park is to be assessed for further development.

The initiative was originally proposed in an outline feasibility study for (non-extractive) enterprise related to wilderness areas in Sumava, which also promoted close links to the adjoining BayerischerWald National Park in Bavaria.

The Czech Environment Ministry gave its support to the initiative in 2018, with a statement from Vice Minister Vladimir Dolejsky:

“I consider elaboration of this study very important not only for the development of the National Park Sumava region, but also in terms of the future course of national parks in the Czech Republic in general”.

Clouds gather over European environmental policy – a way ahead

Just as 2023 was declared the hottest year on record, the last few weeks have seen a series of setbacks to essential environmental reforms.

CAP reform measures are being eroded, there are calls for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to be delayed and diluted, massive further funding is recommended for solid (forest) bioenergy that worsens climate change with higher emissions than fossil fuels.

Now the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) is also faltering, and the Forest Monitoring Law (FML) is under threat from gross over-simplification.

This article proposes reforms to address the NRL and FML situations in particular.

Nature Restoration Law (NRL) passed – lessons for the future

Nature – and the economy – triumphs over 275 Neros. For now.

At last a prize worth cheering about, as the European parliament votes 329 votes in favour, 275 against, to back the NRL.

The final step will involve Council endorsement towards the end of March, with Environment Ministers meeting on 26^th. Thereafter successful implementation will depend on Member States adopting effective National Restoration Plans.

Behind the celebrations there is much ground to cover.

UK Government warned against adoption of ‘deeply flawed’ BECCS energy policy

In its response to the Government’s consultation on subsidies for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage on 29^th February, Wild Europe has strongly advised the cessation of all further support for solid (forest) bioenergy.

Rescuing the Nature Restoration Law

NRL squeezed though the European Parliament, but fundamental reforms are needed for it to succeed

It is a stark but surprisingly little-known fact that farming and forestry interests opposing the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) represent less than 2.5% of Gross Domestic Product in the EU.

Yet the costs of inappropriate management in worsening climate change and ecological degradation fall on the remaining 97.5% of the economy.