Implementation of Natura 2000 in forests

Natura 2000, rooted in the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, is central to European biodiversity conservation. This chapter examines its implementation in forests, showing how EU directives, while binding in objectives, left Member States responsible for national transposition and enforcement. Implementation followed two stages: (i) site identification and designation, and (ii) management of habitats and species through plans, funding schemes and administrative rules. While most studies address Natura 2000 in general, this review highlights forest-specific dimensions. It traces the formulation of the Habitats Directive in the early 1990s, shaped by global environmental debates, NGOs and scientists, and details the continuing influence of EU-level policy through guidance, funding and oversight. It also explores the involvement of NGOs, the European Habitat Forum, and later forest users’ associations, in shaping and contesting implementation processes. The chapter combines literature review and analysis to identify the key policy, legal and social challenges of Natura 2000 implementation in forests.