3.b. Comparative Assessment According to the Needs of the Habitats Directive

3.b. Comparative Assessment According to the Needs of the Habitats Directive

The implementation of the Fauna, Flora and Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) - the so-called FFH Directive - is one of the most important missions in the immediate future for the European Union Member States as well as for the Commission.

It is extremely important to know which data sources may be useful for the evaluation of sites proposed for the NATURA 2000 network.

Concerning species data sources, the questionnaire asked respondents to specify which species of the FFH Directive Annexes were covered by these sources.

A quick comparison has been made between sources holding data on present, possible or extinct Annex II species in each country of the European Union as mentioned in the draft document from DG XI (EEC-DG XI, 1995) and results from annex 3 of the MNHN questionnaire ( Species list of FFH Directive and Bern Convention). 100 questionnaires have been returned with this annex completed (results from 12 countries out of 15 affected by the directive).

Data sources on species of annex II of FFH Directive are rather limited

Mammals (fig. 12):
5 countries hold data on all species of the annex occurring in their territory. The Atlas of Societas Europeae Mammalogica surveys 36 Annex II species (out of 39) excluding the Scandinavian countries and Italy.

Reptiles and Amphibians (fig.13):
7 countries hold data on all species of the annex occurring in their territory. The Atlas of Societas Europeae Herpetologica surveys all Annex II species.

Fish (fig.14):
Only 3 countries hold data on all species of the annex occurring in their territory.

Invertebrates (fig. 15):
Only 3 countries hold data on all species of the annex occurring in their territory. The European Invertebrate Survey is evaluating existing data on Invertebrates from annexes of the directive (Van Helsdingen P.J. & Willemse L.).

Flora (fig. 16):
Only 2 countries hold data on all species of the annex occurring in their territory. Atlas Flora Europaea covers 50 % of Pteridophyta and 20 % of Spermaphyta from Annex II of the Habitats Directive.

Figure 12 : Mammals - Number of species from Annex II present in each country and number of species taken into account by national data sources

Figure 13 : Reptiles & Amphibians - Number of species from Annex II present in each country and number of species taken into account by national data sources

Figure 14 : Fish - Number of species from Annex II present in each country and number of species taken into account by national data sources

Figure 15 : Invertebrates - Number of species from Annex II present in each country and number of species taken into account by national data sources

Figure 16 : Plants - Number of species from Annex II .present in each country and number of species taken into account by national data sources

The data sources do not cover all the needs for the NATURA 2000 implementation

According to article 4 of the FFH Directive, the Member States must supply - within the limits of current knowledge - information on sites eligible as Sites of Community Interest.

This information includes data on each site and also general data necessary to evaluate the interest of the site in comparison with the national situation.

For the habitats, these general data concern national surface of each habitat type, its structure and functions and its restoration possibilities.

For the species, these general data concern size of populations and their degree of isolation.

According to figure 7 (p 19), less than 60 % of sources on habitats contain quantitative data (surfaces; percentages...) and barely 55 % contain information on habitat management. 65 % contain information on site management.

Regarding the size of populations, nearly 70 % of species sources contain quantitative data of which 40 % are devoted to Birds.