European Species Action Plans

Alexander Kozulin The globally threatened Aquatic Warbler is one of Europe's most endangered birds Zoom In | Hi-Res

The ultimate goal of the conservation community is to prevent extinction of species. For species threatened across their range, limited or local actions are unlikely to be sufficiently strong or coherent to prevent extinction. It is therefore necessary to define in some detail specific actions, which are required to prevent further deterioration in their status, and where appropriate, to begin recovery.

Thus European species action plans have been produced by BirdLife International, with the support of the European Union (DG Environment), Bern Convention, Dutch Government and the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement.
They are intended as tools to identify the priorities for conservation action to halt the decline and restore the populations of Europe's most endangered bird species.

The Species Action Plans (SAPs):

• provide a framework for action for international treaties, national governments and governmental agencies, NGOs and scientists
• provide an official basis for actions since they are endorsed through intergovernmental agreements
• are a reference for fundraising

The SAPs are conservation documents which are based on the most up-to-date information available at the time of compilation about limiting factors, threats and actions needed. New scientific information comes in every day and our knowledge and understanding of each species may improve significantly over time. Political and economic circumstances may cause significant changes in threats, meanwhile activities carried out by Governments and NGOs may result in the need to re-define the priority actions.

The role of International Treaties

In order to promote the implementation of the SAPs at the most appropriate geographic level, and to increase funding and legal opportunities for their implementation, BirdLife International has been seeking approval and endorsement of the plans from various international treaties.

The European Union (EU), through the ORNIS Committee, has approved 45 of the SAPs, while the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention has endorsed 49. The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) has endorsed 18 and the African Eurasian Waterbirds Agreement (AEWA) has endorsed 3. Their involvement is instrumental toward the effective implementation of the action plans through national Governments. The involvement of Governments is the basis for the long-lasting conservation of these species through the issuing of appropriate legislations or policies and other measures such as the establishment and proper management of protected areas etc.