The main objective of ConnectGREEN project is to maintain, respectively improve the ecological connectivity between natural habitats, especially between Natura 2000 sites and other protected areas of transnational relevance in the Carpathian ecoregion, namely in Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine.

Specifically, the project aims at:

→ Developing innovative solutions and guidance to identify ecological corridors and connectivity gaps in a harmonized way across the Carpathian ecoregion to maintain long-term, cross-border wildlife movement, associated ecosystem services and a high level of biodiversity in the region.

→ Engaging protected area and Natura 2000 site managers, conservationists, spatial planners and other key stakeholders in an integrated approach for strengthening the capacity for identifying and managing ecological corridors.

→ Reconciling nature conservation and spatial planning and development in ecological corridors and Natura 2000 sites by identifying and implementing strategic directions and instruments and practices.

Deliverables:

• Methodology for identifying ecological corridors
• State of the Art Report on the existing planning systems and their application for ecological corridor identification and management
• GAP analysis report on the identification of the needs for improving the planning processes and tools
• Set of recommendations developed together with spatial planners to avoid/ minimise fragmentation of ecological corridors and Natura 2000 sites
• Ecological connectivity related database under the CCIBIS
• Database with all relevant spatial information in each pilot site
• Maps with the distribution of target species, core areas, ecological corridors and critical barrier sites in each pilot areas
• Strategy on the identification, preservation and management of eco-corridors

For further information, please check the procjet website, or contact the project coordinator,  Mr. Cristian Remus Papp, cpapp@wwfdcp.ro.