Can Natura 2000 Sites Benefit from River Basin Management Planning Under a Changing Climate? Lessons from Germany - Wetlands and Water Framework Directive: Protection, Management and Climate Change - page 40

section thus considers several aspects related to the involvement of authorities and
public participation.

Short overview: Cooperation and integration of conservation and water man-
agement in RBMP in Germany

￿

In order to ensure compatibility with the conservation objectives of the Natura
2000 sites, it is to be recommended that water management involve nature con-
servation at an early stage for measures in Natura 2000 sites or for measures that
may in

uence such areas. Furthermore, can be recommended to prioritise the
implementation of measures that have a positive effect in terms of both: the WFD
and the HD and/or the BD. Lower Saxony provides an example of a state where
procedures are based on consideration of Natura 2000 sites when prioritising
measures (Hofmann and Schmidt 2012 , p. 221).
The texts of the German management plans show that cooperation between
nature conservation and water management for Natura 2000 sites is basically to be
found in all the Federal States. Obviously the intensity of cooperation differed
considerably from state to state and is re

fl

ected in the formal documents to a limited
extent only. Firm cooperation between nature conservation and water management
in terms of Natura 2000 and other speci

fl

c nature conservation issues has not yet
been established. But a close cooperation between nature conservation and water
management will be of great significance in order to realise synergy effects in
subsequent stages as planning becomes more concrete (Hofmann and Schmidt
2012 , p. 221 et seq.).
Most of the management plans contain information about the way in which
protection and conservation objectives of nature conservation areas were considered
during management planning and the development of management aims. For
example, the Weser management plan states that con icting objectives were dis-

cussed between water and nature conservation authorities responsible. Either a
solution was found that satis

fl

ed both sets of objectives, or a decision reached as to
which objective was most important. In addition, in the course of planning mea-
sures for the Weser, an assessment was made of synergies between the objectives of
the protected areas and management objectives, and it was determined which of
these synergies it may be possible to exploit through the use of appropriate mea-
sures. Furthermore, the Natura 2000 objectives for water-dependent terrestrial
ecosystems and aquatic habitats are given support. This is achieved by consider-
ation of protection and conservation objectives, particularly for water-loving spe-
cies and habitats within the frame of operational monitoring and when compiling
the PoM and coordination of objectives with the nature conservation authorities
(Stratmann et al. 2012b , p. 104).
Usually agreement with regards to the objectives of the Natura 2000 sites was
reached early on with the authorities responsible for nature conservation. This is
generally documented. Whether this mostly involved conservation (preservation of
the status quo) or whether developmental aspects (e.g. protection of natural pro-
cesses) with regards to Natura 2000 were also considered is not recorded in the
management plans. It is therefore not possible to determine here whether the