Affirmation for the vital role of strict protection in EU Biodiversity Strategy

*Gateway to the Hohe Tauern NP wilderness core, strictly protected according to Wild Europe’s non-intervention criteria*, *© Josef Schrank*

A recent Technical Report on strict protection from the World Council on Protected Areas (WCPA) Working Group for Europe, coordinated by Zoltan Kun of Wild Europe, has re-affirmed the crucial role played by non-intervention.

This supports the European Union’s definition, which states the purpose of strict protection as being to “restore the integrity of biodiversity-rich natural areas with their underlying ecological structure and supporting natural environmental processes” in which “natural processes are therefore left essentially undisturbed from human pressures”.

Evolution libre, new chapter for a wilder France

Advocates of *libre evolution* – from France to Europe, UNESCO France

A UNESCO-IUCN conference on évolution libre – ‘free evolution’ – was held in Paris on 12-13^th February. With some 400 attending in person and online, it was convened to promote the practice of management by natural processes, unfettered by human intervention or extraction.

Although only making its debut in France within the last few years, the concept is spreading rapidly, and the agenda included an international round table facilitated by Wild Europe with input from Germany, Poland, Switzerland and Canada.

The passing of Francis Hallé – a giant of the forests

Francis Halle in his academic and spiritual element

On 31^st December the botanical world lost one of its greatest champions.

Professor Francis Hallé, 1936 – 2026, dedicated his life to the tree, its architecture and ecology. Travelling, teaching and publishing widely throughout the tropics during his long career, he focussed on the diminishing great forests of South America, the Far East and Africa. Stressing their vital role in maintaining climatic equilibrium and the biodiverse basis for human wellbeing.

In his later years he came to realise the importance for the world of Europe creating its own “grande forêt primaire” – and a vision was born.

COP30 – Clouds over Belém

Optimistic pastels, no hint of hydrocarbon black

Despite his success with lowering the rate of forest clearance in the Brazilian Amazon, Lula’s influence was perhaps always going to be compromised by his political need to allow hydrocarbon drilling in the Amazon. But other disappointments accompanied failure to mention a roadmap for fossil fuel cessation in the final COP text.

Meanwhile 2024 was recorded globally as the hottest year on record – the first to breach that ominous 1.5 degree marker, with the Amazon suffering its longest drought in recorded history.

COP 30 – the very number is cause for concern. It was 1995 when COP 1 was held in Berlin, with the first warnings of climate change stretching back to the 1960s. Thirty years on, reinforced by climate modelling in the 1980s and the Paris Agreement in 2015, there is momentum – but thus far it remains insufficient to halt climate change.

Fagaras wilderness model gathers momentum

Recognition for an outstanding conservation achievement

A special award for the directors of FCC

Barbara and Christoph Promberger, directors of Fundatia Conservation Carpathia (FCC) in Romania, last week received the highly prestigious Federal Cross of Merit from German Federal President Steinmeier.

Their work in protecting very large areas of wild forest and montane shrub and grassland, for nature and local communities, was described as “outstanding”.

At its heart is their dedication to supporting creation of a world class 250,000 hectare National Park in the Fagaras Mountains, aiming to address the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, while benefiting the regional economy.

Can massive Highland restoration save the salmon from regional extinction?

The fate of one of the world’s most iconic species hangs in the balance across the Highlands of Scotland, and in many other parts of Europe.

Due to climate change, water temperatures now frequently surpass the crucial 23 degree level above which survival of the Atlantic salmon is not sustainable.

Wild Europe is engaging through its associate The European Nature Trust (TENT) in initiation of a massive ecological restoration programme to save the salmon and its aquatic habitat. But can this be implemented in time?

New mapping initiative to support natural ecosystem area conservation

Protection and extension of wild areas has received a significant boost with the publication of CARTNAT, a high-resolution process to identify and measure levels of naturalness in France.

CARTNAT can help improve protection of existing natural areas, and locate potential for restoration and connectivity. Backed by Wild Europe, the initiative offers timely support for policy makers and practitioners, and has potential for replication across Europe.

Wild Europe with consortium wins large EU Horizon project for forest ecosystem support

A large EU funded initiative for safeguarding carbon and biodiversity rich forests is to be undertaken by a group of eighteen organisations led by the University of Oulu in Finland.

Wild Europe Foundation played a key role coordinating the preparatory stages and selecting the locations for in-depth study. It is now helping coordinate the implementation.

Over the next four years our contribution will focus mainly on formulating and communicating policy recommendations as well as identifying socio-economic benefits of ecosystem services. These will be linked to relevant legal contexts across a range of forest types and management practices.

Enterprise element of successful Sumava NP programme to be assessed

Sumava and Bayerischerwald: non intervention at the heart of Europe

Wild Europe’s initiative to identify local community enterprise opportunities in and around Sumava National Park is to be assessed for further development.

The initiative was originally proposed in an outline feasibility study for (non-extractive) enterprise related to wilderness areas in Sumava, which also promoted close links to the adjoining BayerischerWald National Park in Bavaria.

The Czech Environment Ministry gave its support to the initiative in 2018, with a statement from Vice Minister Vladimir Dolejsky:

“I consider elaboration of this study very important not only for the development of the National Park Sumava region, but also in terms of the future course of national parks in the Czech Republic in general”.

Nature Restoration Law (NRL) passed – lessons for the future

Nature – and the economy – triumphs over 275 Neros. For now.

At last a prize worth cheering about, as the European parliament votes 329 votes in favour, 275 against, to back the NRL.

The final step will involve Council endorsement towards the end of March, with Environment Ministers meeting on 26^th. Thereafter successful implementation will depend on Member States adopting effective National Restoration Plans.

Behind the celebrations there is much ground to cover.