Natura 2000 Forest habitat types on secondary sites - conservation and management strategies

The EU Commission initiated the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Processes(BGP) as an approach to strengthen knowledge exchange and networkingamong Member states with regard to enhanced management of habitat typesand species protected by the Habitats Directive.Many Member states are facing the challenge of conserving Annex I foresthabitat types promoted by (former) human management activities, growing onsites with differing potential natural vegetation. Non-intervention and subsequentnatural succession would lead to extensive losses of area of thesehabitattypes.For this reason, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)conducted a workshop on this issue based on input and experience of expertsfrom various countries and disciplines. One focus was on oak and oak-hornbeamforest habitat types in Germany and France with excursions to respectivestands in the Bienwald (Germany) and the NorthernVosges (France). Otherhabitat types like lichen pine forests or chestnut woods was also beenaddressed. This volume presents the proceedingsof this workshop.