Aansluiting MNP-instrumentarium bij de Vogel- en Habitatrichtlijn

The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP-RIVM) has started research aimed at setting up an information system to support the national policy on species and nature areas. Given the political importance, this system was to be focused on information related to the goals set in the European Bird and Habitat Directives (B.H.Ds). At present, the information system contains: 1) specific aims for all individual Dutch Natura 2000 sites protected under the B.H.Ds, 2) spatial information on the presence of B.H.D. species and habitats, measured or derived by statistical models, 3) historical trends (national or site-specific) found in the occurrence of the species, 4) relationships between the occurrence of species and environmental stress or lack of space. The system is based on current ecological instruments used by MNP-RIVM: available monitoring networks, ecological and environmental modelling tools, and ecological indicators. The instruments to evaluate B.H.D. goals were examined for suitability: bottlenecks and their solutions were then identified. The definition of goals for the EU directives related to "favourable conservation status" and the "significance of effects" are still under discussion and thus not yet operational. Until operation, the information system will focus on the occurrence and distribution of the species and habitats under concern as indicated in a recent document of the European Commission, since the decline of these will have to be avoided. The improved tools, together with the current instruments, will form a new information system. Potential applications of such information system are also presented in this report.