This new Focus brochure, from the Directorate General Environment's LIFE Unit, examines the contribution that the LIFE-Nature programme has made to the integrated management of Natura 2000 sites. In this context, the term 'integrated management' is used to indicate the nature conservation of a site alongside the management of other activities or resources, such as for examples the management of agriculture, tourism or of the water resources. The publication is divided into three sections. Part one provides a summary of the key issues surrounding the EU Birds and Habitats directives linked to the Natura 2000 network. It provides a summary of the main guidelines and recommendations by Member States and illustrates national guidelines and manuals, prepared in France and Italy with LIFE-Nature projects. Part two contains examples of management plans that were produced during LIFE-Nature projects. Part three provides a list of the 428 LIFE-Nature projects that have included management plans, of which a considerable proportion deals with habitats and animal species.

At the end of 2011, the European Commission launched the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process to help Member States achieve favourable conservation status for habitats and species protected under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. This will enable Member States to fulfil their legal obligations regarding the management of Natura 2000. The Process involves multiple stakeholders cooperating at biogeographical level through seminars, workshops and joint activities. It aims to enhance the effective implementation, management, monitoring, financing and reporting of the Natura 2000 network. Specifically, the Process: - is a voluntary process for fulfilling obligations set out in the EU nature directives - enhances coordinated and collaborative approaches among Member States sharing a common biogeographical context - is strongly dependant on the active involvement of Member States and stakeholders (e.g. NGOs) - sees Natura 2000 as both a network of protected sites and a network of people Key objectives: - collecting up-to-date information on threats and conservation needs for species and habitats - identifying common objectives, priorities and management actions - developing new management insights, cross-border stakeholder cooperation frameworks, and networks of specialists and site managers - promoting Natura 2000 management that integrates socio- economic objectives.