Data gathering and fieldwork has commenced for the preparation of management plans and legal provisions for all terrestrial Natura 2000 sites across the Maltese Islands. These plans and legislation are being prepared as part of a project co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), ‘Natura 2000 Management Planning for Malta and Gozo’, pioneered by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA). They are intended to conserve and protect a wide range of habitats and species inhabiting these sites by identifying adequate management measures with intensive stakeholder involvement and participation throughout the entire exercise.

A secondary component of the project is to increase the level of awareness about Natura 2000 sites in the Maltese Islands amongst the general public and amongst specific target groups, such as local councils, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), farmers and land owners/managers. This awareness-raising campaign will equip all key stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the management planning process more effectively.

The need to prepare management plans or legislation and an information campaign focusing on Natura 2000 sites emanate from EU legal obligations under Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (Habitats Directive): “to promote education and general information on the need to protect species of wild fauna and flora and to conserve their habitats and natural habitats” and “to establish the necessary conservation measures involving, if need be, appropriate management plans specifically designed for the sites or integrated into other development plants” and Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds (Birds Directive).

What is Natura 2000? Natura 2000 is an EU-wide network of protected areas established under the Habitats Directive, to ensure the survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. It is comprised of Special Areas of Conservation designated by Member States under the Habitats Directive, and Special Protection Areas designated by Member States under the Birds Directive. Following designation, Member States are then required to manage these Natura 2000 sites.

So far, Malta has designated a total of 34 terrestrial Natura 2000 sites, 27 of which are terrestrial Special Areas of Conservation and provide increased protection and management for rare and vulnerable animals, plants and habitats. 13 sites are Special Protection Areas which are designated to protect and manage areas which are important for rare and vulnerable birds because they use them for breeding, feeding, wintering or migration; 6 of these Special Protection Areas are also Special Areas of Conservation.

The 34 terrestrial Natura 2000 sites in the Maltese Islands together cover approximately 13.5% of the total land area of Malta. These sites include the minor islands (Kemmuna, Filfla and Selmunett, and their surrounding Islets); coastal cliffs (including l-Irdumijiet ta’ Malta: Ir-Ramla tac-Cirkewwa sal-Ponta ta’ Benghisa); saline marshlands (Is-Salini and Il-Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk); sandy beaches and dunes (L-Inhawi tal-Ghadira and L-Inhawi tar-Ramla); areas of garrigue and maquis (L-Inhawi ta’ Pembroke and Il-Qortin tal-Magun u l-Qortin il-Kbir); woodland areas (L-Inhawi tal-Buskett u Il-Girgenti and Il-Ballut tal-Wardija); caves and other geological features (Ghar Dalam and Il-Maqluba).

The involvement of stakeholders in the management planning process, including all relevant Government authorities and other national entities, local councils, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), public and private operators, land owners/managers, local residents, farmers, site visitors and other users, is necessary to ensure that the management plans are appropriate to each site and can be successfully implemented. Stakeholder engagement will take place throughout the preparation of the management plans, through the development of the conservation objectives and conservation measures for each site, and eventually in relation to each draft management plan and its implementation measures.

In this context, the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC) together with MEPA will be organising a series of briefing sessions between February 4 and February 7, 2013 targeting different stakeholders. During these sessions participants will be briefed about the project, Natura 2000 and the local context. The sessions will provide an opportunity to explain how the stakeholder engagement programme will be rolled out over the duration of the project. Further information about the briefing sessions is available on MEUSAC’s website: www.meusac.gov.mt.