The Improvement Programme for England’s Natura 2000 Sites (IPENS), held a launch workshop with key stakeholders on 24 April 2013. After some introductory presentations which described the project and the wider policy context, the project’s initial findings on the key ‘issues’ (i.e. pressures and threats) affecting the condition of Natura 2000 sites were shared and discussed.
The workshop provided an opportunity to test the project team’s thinking. Had we identified the right issues? Had we missed any? Had we rejected any we should have included? Which of these themes should the project focus on to identify or refine the mechanisms needed to implement action on the ground which will improve the conservation of habitats and species?
It was clear from feedback that whilst we had identified the right issues and themes there were too many for IPENS to tackle within the two year timescale of the project. The project needs to focus its efforts on the key ‘themes’ (for example, diffuse water pollution, physical change, disease and invasives, air quality) where it can add the most value to existing work being undertaken.