Conservation status and trends in species and habitat types under the Birds and Habitats Directives, 2013-2018

Birds and Habitats Directives targets

The European Birds Directive and Habitats Directive (BHD) impose obligations on the member states with the aim of maintaining or restoring bird populations to sufficient levels and maintaining or restoring a favourable conservation status of habitat types and other species. No specific term has been set for achieving these BHD targets. Under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive and Article 12 of the Birds Directive member states must report to the European Union on conservation status and trends (see NL Article 17 and NL Article 12 reports).

The conservation status of habitat types is determined by examining, among other things, trends in area, structural characteristics (quality), distribution and future prospects. The conservation status of species is determined primarily by examining population trends, size of population, natural range and future prospects. All these different aspects are combined to form a single indicator for habitats and one for species: conservation status.

Target of sustainable conservation status for European nature not yet within reach

The BHD target for the Netherlands and the other member states - to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status for all BHD species and habitat types and to restore bird populations - is not yet within reach. Neither is the European Commission's interim target of 30% in the EU Biodiversity Strategy yet within reach. In 2020 an overview of the assessed status and trends of all Habitats Directive species and habitat types in the European Union was published on the website of the EEA (EEA 2020). This shows that the conservation status of many species and habitat types in Europe is unfavourable. Across all the EU28 member states, 24% of the habitat types and 31% of the Habitats Directive species have a favourable conservation status. In the Netherlands just 12% of the habitat types have a favourable conservation status, a much lower percentage than the EU average. Of the Habitats Directive species in the Netherlands, 26% have a favourable conservation status.

Trends in Habitats Directive species and habitat types

The EU assessment reporting format includes the changes and trends in the conservation status of species and habitat types with an unfavourable status. This gives more insight into the trends within each category and whether or not species are moving towards a better conservation status. In the Netherlands, 24% of the habitat types with an unfavourable conservation status have shown an improvement. However, as in the other member states, a larger proportion of habitat types with an unfavourable status have deteriorated. The status of almost 28% of the habitat types in the Netherlands has deteriorated, compared with an average of 34% across the EU as a whole.

In almost all member states a few Habitats Directive species with an unfavourable status have shown some improvement; although their status is still unfavourable, they are improving. In the Netherlands there has been greater improvement in the condition of species with an unfavourable status than in the other member states: 18% of the Habitats Directive species with an unfavourable conservation status have shown an improvement. However, as in the other member states, more species with an unfavourable status are in a worsening trend than an improving trend: the status of almost 36% of species in the Netherlands has deteriorated, compared with an average of 37% across the EU as a whole. In all the EU member states there has been more deterioration than improvement.

Trends for breeding birds and wintering birds

The status of all native bird species listed in the Birds Directive is determined at the European level, not by each member state individually. However, long-term (1980-2012) and short-term (2001-2012) population trends are available at member state level. At the time of writing no final version of the most recent EU report on the 2012-2018 period was available.

Policy to achieve a more favourable conservation status

Dutch policy aims to achieve a favourable/secure conservation status for species and habitats covered by the Birds and Habitats Directives, but does not specify a particular date by which this should have been achieved. The Dutch government aims to fully achieve the BHD targets for environmental and land use conditions in 2050. The key instrument of current Dutch policy is realising the national ecological network (Natuurnetwerk Nederland) and improving environmental conditions. Most of the Natura 2000 sites are an integral part of this network and the realisation of the network is therefore also an essential instrument for achieving the required favourable conservation status for the protected plant and animal species and habitat types listed in the Birds and Habitats Directives. The conservation measures taken outside the national ecological network also contribute towards achieving this favourable conservation status.

• Realisation of the national ecological network – land acquisition and conversion, 1990–2022
• Aandeel beschermde natuurgebieden in Nederland, 2022

EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030

The aim of the Biodiversity Strategy is to halt the deterioration of all species and habitats covered by European legislation and to significantly improve their status. The target for 2030 is that 30% of the protected habitat types and species listed in the Habitats Directive have a good conservation status or at least show a positive trend (EC, 2020).