Celebrating Natura 2000: the world’s largest network of protected natural areas

Today is Natura 2000 Day and there is plenty to celebrate. The EU’s flagship nature network is the largest network of environmentally protected areas in the world, covering more than 27 000 nature sites in Europe. That’s about one fifth of the EU’s land and one tenth of surrounding seas - about the size of Spain and Italy combined! 

Created by the Birds and Habitats Directives back in 1992, Natura 2000 has revolutionised the way protected areas are managed around the EU. It helps benefit nature, people and the economy by 

• protecting 1 200 rare and threatened species and 230 habitat types
• providing us with vital services like fresh water, pollinating insects and protection against floods and coastal erosion
• providing ecosystem services worth around EUR €200–300 billion per year, whilst supporting around 4.4 million jobs

As every year, people are invited to take part in the Natura 2000 Day BioBlitz. Taking place between 14 May and 25 May, this is a fun, hands-on hunt where participants try to find and identify as many species as possible in a specific Natura 2000 area. It’s your opportunity to contribute to science, connect with nature and learn more about local wildlife.

If you want to learn more about Natura 2000, you can also find a Natura 2000 site near you, or take a look at the interactive map of the Natura 2000 network.

For more information

Natura 2000 

Natura2000 Day