Not the Right Time to Amend the Annexes of the European Habitats Directive

Gaps in ecological research on the world's largest internationally coordinated network of protected areas: A review of Natura 2000

“…This is due to the inclusion of a large proportion of species "inherited" from the Bern Convention's annex as well as selected by unevenly distributed taxonomic experts (Evans, 2012;Hochkirch et al, 2013a;Maes et al, 2013) and the revisions undertaken during the EU accession process of the new member states . To correct for this bias in species selection within HD and BD, Hochkirch et al (2013b) recommend testing for their potential as "umbrella species" as well as analyzing how many endangered but non-listed species occur in the existing N2k reserves and if they may benefit from the current network.…”

How Much Biodiversity does Natura 2000 Cover?

“…Maes et al . () argue that amendments to the Annexes of the Habitats Directive “would divert attention and resources and risks being counterproductive,” that other species would also benefit from the conservation measures for the species listed on the Annexes and that priority should focus on funding and implementing management. This argumentation very well illustrates the inertia of European administrative processes, such as the Habitats Directive.…”

“…Contrary to the argument of diverted resources put forward by Maes et al . (), we believe that only via the mechanisms embedded in the Habitats Directive itself, we can ensure conservation of threatened species which are not listed on the annexes. Local administrations are fully occupied with implementing Natura 2000, with only few resources left to protect unlisted species, even if they are highly endangered.…”

“…However, adding 40 threatened butterfly and dragonfly species to the Annexes (as outlined by Maes et al . ) would assure the preservation of these species, whereas it is by no means clear whether they benefit from current conservation measures undertaken under the Habitats Directive. One has to keep in mind that most of the species listed on the Annexes have not been strategically chosen, and their potential as “umbrella species” has never been tested explicitly.…”

“…We are concerned that with the current species lists and only 7 years left, it will be virtually impossible to halt biodiversity loss on the territory of the EU by 2020. It is probably never "the right time" (Maes et al 2013) to change any European directive, simply due to the protracted and complex European legislation processes. However, we believe that regular amendments and a stronger link of the Annexes to Red Lists will assure that the Habitats Directive becomes an adaptive tool and hence independent of such protracted administrative processes.…”