The impact of Natura 2000 on forest management

Beech forests once dominated much of continental Europe, but today only a small proportion of their potential range remains. Many of these forests fall under the EU Natura 2000 network. This study assesses how Natura 2000 has influenced beech forest management through 73 stakeholder interviews across nine case study sites in Austria, France, and Germany, alongside an ecological analysis of Natura 2000 management plans. Findings reveal that, although Natura 2000 is well known among stakeholders, its management plans often contain vague objectives and poorly defined measures. This vagueness leads to weak guidance for forest management, and when thresholds are included, they are frequently below levels recommended by conservation science. For example, deadwood thresholds considered sufficient for favourable conservation status were significantly lower than those needed to sustain typical beech forest biodiversity. The study concludes that while Natura 2000 has raised awareness of beech forest conservation, stronger and more precise measures are required to translate this awareness into effective biodiversity protection.