Synergies and Conflicts Between Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000: Legal Requirements, Technical Guidance and Experiences from Practice - Wetlands and Water Framework Directive: Protection, Management and Climate Change - page 9

2.1 Introduction

The water framework directive (Directive 2000/60/EC, WFD) is not a stand-alone
document of European legal regulation, but is in many ways integrated into a spider
web of relationships with other directives and documents of European policy. This
contribution aims at highlighting some of the more fundamental connections
between relevant EU documents covering a wide scope that considers various
aspects of water related issues, cross-linking water management with nature pro-
tection and conservation needs.
Due to its ecological approach, the WFD shows numerous connections with
nature conservation. The WFD strives primarily for an improvement on the habitat
quality and the diversity of species in surface waters by the criteria of good eco-
logical and chemical status and corresponding measures in the programmes of
measures (Art. 1 a); Art. 2 N

. 1.2
table 1.2 WFD), among other things provides protection against impairments for
wetlands directly depending on the aquatic ecosystems (Art. 1 a) WFD) and refers
to the management objectives for Natura 2000 sites (Annex IV part A and Annex V
N

° . 18; Art. 4 para. 1 a) ii) and iii); Annex 5 N °

. 1.3.5 WFD). The interplay of WFD and Natura 2000 directives, i.e., the HD
and the BD, is of high practical relevance, because measures according to WFD
regularly take place within Natura 2000 sites.
Particularly interesting from an environment protection point of view are the
special areas of conservation (SAC) and the special protection areas (SPA) that
were to be allocated by the Member States as a coherent European ecological
network according to the HD and the BD. Within the relevant sanctuaries all bird
species listed in Annex I of the BD and special protection areas for commonly
visiting migratory birds are protected by Article 4 BD. The protection out of Article
4 HD relates to either habitat types that are of collective conservation interest
(Annex I) or to wild species deserving protection in accordance with Annex II and
IV of the directive (Unnerstall 2003 , p. 670; Louis 2000 , p. 83 et seq.).
Main aims of the following contribution are to highlight potential synergies and
con

°

icts of WFD implementation in Natura 2000 sites, to pass on some experience
on this topic as well as to give recommendations for the coordinated implemen-
tation of the legal requirements. The contribution is subdivided into four sections.
In Sect. 2.2 , the goals of WFD and Natura 2000 legislation are compared, main
interrelations highlighted and synergies as well as con

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icts are shown. Section 2.3
gives an overview on legal provisions and guidance documents on the European
level relating the question how to deal with synergies and con

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icts between WFD
and Natura 2000 in practice. In Sect. 2.4 , the implementation of WFD in Natura
2000 sites as part of river basin management plans is discussed, up-to-date expe-
riences are shared and recommendations given. Finally conclusions are drawn
(Sect. 2.5 ).

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