important plant areas in central and eastern europe - Plantlife

Summary of IPA data
Damaging forestry practises, which include intensified forest management, afforestation
and deforestation, threaten almost half of IPAs.The threat to IPAs from invasive species
also comes in part from exotic trees species that take over existing forest habitats.
Protection of forest IPAs and control of damaging forestry practices must be a high
priority for future conservation action at IPAs.
Tourism and recreation development is the second most widespread threat to IPAs.The
threat comes not only from facilities and infrastructure but also from exceeding carrying
capacity on nature trails and paths.Tourism is a powerful tool for raising awareness
about nature and conservation, but needs to be developed with local land managers and
specialists to prevent the destruction of priority sites.
Agricultural intensification or expansion (grazing, mixed agriculture and arable) threatens
almost one third of IPAs. Land abandonment affects over a quarter of IPAs. Rare
grassland habitats are particularly vulnerable to abandonment of grazing or mowing
regimes.Agri-environment schemes and Rural Development Programmes have the
potential to save both important grassland habitats and the local communities that
maintain them, if local, national and EU policy makers support and recognise the
importance of a healthy, thriving countryside.
Transport and urban development threaten one quarter of priority plant sites. National
and EU transport planners and funders have the necessary information to avoid
destroying priority sites yet even some Natura 2000 sites with a high level of protection
are threatened by transport projects.The EU in particular has a responsibility to ensure
that structural funds used for transport networks such as TEN-T do not destroy
priority sites and contradict its commitments to biodiversity conservation.
A high number of IPAs are threatened by damaging water management practices such as
drainage, canalisation, and extraction.Wetlands, including peatlands, are one of the most
threatened and rapidly disappearing habitats in Europe.A significant number of IPAs are
also threatened by eutrophication or nutrient pollution, which often results from
agricultural or industrial discharge into water systems. Damage to wetland ecosystems
destroys not only the wetland sites themselves but also the many other habitats which
rely on these ecosystems.The EU Water Framework Directive can be used to prevent
water pollution and also to maintain the ecological status of important wetland sites.
Ownership and land use
Almost half of IPAs are owned by state organisations (state 364 (46%), municipal 24
(3%), military 7 (1%)). Many IPAs are also privately owned (private 187 (23%), religious
groups 8 (1%)), and 69 (9%) are communally owned. 16 (2%) are owned by conservation
organisations, and just over 10% of IPAs have mixed ownership or the ownership is
unknown.
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