The creation of a Natura 2000 coordinators networks in the Drôme and Ardèche regions in France led to a collaborative Natura 2000-focused exhibition, demonstrating the value of cooperation in achieving a relevant and cost-effective promotion of Natura 2000.
About the project
- Main applicant
Mairie de Le Pouzin
- Category
Cross-border cooperation
- Countries involved
France
- Main N2000 site
Pelouses, landes, falaises et forêts de la montagne d'Aucelon (FR8201685)
Overview
Cooperation between administrative regions on Natura 2000 can bring major benefits as species and habitats know no borders. Developing joint projects increases the quality and relevance of the activities, by sharing experiences, increasing capacity to operate at a larger scale and reducing costs.
Two local French authorities catalysed the establishment of a network of the 32 Natura 2000 site coordinators in the Drôme and Ardèche regions. The coordinators network’s main objectives are to define the most relevant common projects for the Natura 2000 network each year. Cooperation is structured on three levels: a coordination team, an editorial committee and a plenary committee that votes on overall priorities.
One of the shared needs that first emerged from the network was the need to communicate to the public about the Natura 2000 network as a whole and not just about individual sites. Thus, the Natura 2000 exhibition was born.
The network of coordinators guided the production of a portable exhibition that covers the 51 Natura 2000 sites in the Drôme and Ardèche regions. The exhibition focused on biodiversity protection through the Natura 2000 network, the sites’ management as well as the site coordinators’ roles, provides examples of field actions with local partners, and illustrates links between important plant and animal species, human activities and management measures.
In addition, to make this relatively small-scale exhibition a powerful regional, national and possibly European tool to educate people about Natura 2000, the source files are also freely accessible to allow any Natura 2000 coordinator to print and adapt their own exhibition.
This initiative is an excellent example of how collaboration can reveal shared needs and lead to the achievement of shared results. The coordinators’ network plans to continue working together in the future on projects such as, for example, joint training courses or studies on species or habitats of Community interest.
