ERSE Ecological Research and Services for the Environment is a Tuscany Company of experts in Environmental Biology and Natural Sciences. ERSE works throughout the national territory.
for Natura 2000 in Tuscany, under Article 8 of the Habitat Directive for the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework.
LOCATION
Tuscany
TYPE
Natura 2000 Network
CLIENT
Region of Tuscany
Between 2019 and 2020, ERSE was involved in preparing a document called the PAF (Prioritised Action Framework) for the Region of Tuscany, related to the Natura 2000 Network.
This is the primary tool of the European Union’s biodiversity conservation policy, designed to ensure the long-term maintenance of natural habitats and species of flora and fauna that are threatened or rare at the community level. The network consists of ecological areas across the EU, as established by the Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC). These areas account for both environmental and socio-economic needs.
The PAF is a strategic planning tool for a set time frame (such as 2021-2027), aimed at outlining the necessary measures for implementing Natura 2000 across different Regions and Autonomous Provinces, including the financial needs and corresponding EU funding sources (ERDF, ESF, FEAMP, EAFRD, LIFE).
The PAF focuses primarily on identifying priority needs related to conservation measures for Natura 2000 sites, specifically for the habitats and species for which these sites were designated. It also considers green infrastructure, which includes essential environmental elements to maintain the ecological coherence of the network.
In Italy, the preparation of the PAF is coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, with Regions and Autonomous Provinces responsible for compiling the document in line with the requirements of the Habitat Directive, Article 8. The Commission’s evaluation ensures quality and accuracy in the document, supporting the integration of Natura 2000 funding needs with EU funding tools for the 2021-2027 programming period.
Currently, Tuscany’s Natura 2000 Network includes 159 terrestrial or marine sites covering approximately 833,788 hectares. Of these, terrestrial sites account for around 327,000 hectares, approximately 14% of the region’s total area.
Below is an infographic on the estimate of the overall annual costs of all Italian regions for the seven-year period 2021-2027.
