Support for the Implementation of the Natura 2000 Network in Serbia

We are assisting with the further preparation and implementation of the Natura 2000 network in an EU candidate country.

The full project title is EU4Natura2000Serbia – Strengthening Strategic Framework in Nature Protection Sector and Further Implementation of Natura 2000 in the Republic of Serbia.

It is funded by the European Union, and its main beneficiary is the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. We are implementing it in cooperation with Particip and SOS Birdlife Slovakia. It builds on a previous successful project from 2019 to 2021 aimed at supporting the preparation of the Natura 2000 network in Serbia, in which we also provided technical expertise.

The goal of the current project is to support Serbia’s next steps in the preparation and implementation of the Natura 2000 network. It focuses on finalizing the proposal for Natura 2000 sites, strengthening the legislative and strategic framework for nature conservation, building technical and institutional capacity, supporting the negotiation process with the European Commission, and creating the conditions for future funding of site management.

Our primary role is to provide technical support in the areas of habitats, species, and management planning. The work includes analyzing existing data from previous projects and new data collected between 2021 and 2026, identifying data gaps, selecting pilot sites for the preparation of management plans, and collaborating with Serbian nature conservation institutions.

Another important part of the project will be the development of methodological guidelines for management planning of potential Natura 2000 sites. These guidelines will include assessing the status of habitats and species at the site level, identifying impacts and threats, formulating conservation objectives, and proposing appropriate management measures. In the next phase of the project, management plans will be prepared for at least 20 potential Natura 2000 sites in Serbia.

The project contributes to strengthening biodiversity conservation in Serbia and to the gradual harmonization of the national nature conservation system with European Union requirements. At the same time, it builds on many years of experience in habitat mapping, species monitoring, and the preparation of technical documentation for the Natura 2000 network in Central and Southeastern Europe.