Since Spring 2004, ECNC - The European Centre for Nature Conservation, EUCC - The Coastal Union and EUROSITE are working towards a common organisation: NatureNet Europe.

Rationale

Many approaches to the conservation of biodiversity in Europe have failed to deliver fully over the last couple of decades. “New” developments such as climate change, and new insights into appropriateness and effectiveness of existing conservation tools dictate that new approaches have to be sought, and new tools have to be developed and tested. Most importantly, in spite of an apparent greater general awareness than ever before, in recent years the conservation movement in Europe has not become more powerful by combining its strengths but instead has diversified greatly to the extent that the movement as a whole has probably become weaker.

Mission

NatureNet Europe’s mission is to introduce, promote and apply new insights, innovative approaches and effective tools for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in Europe. This is to foster biodiversity resilience, and to maximize its contribution to Europe's sustainable and competitive development, whilst in particular taking into account ecological connectivity, the rapid changes in land and sea uses and the increasing impacts of climate change. NatureNet Europe will combine and integrate terrestrial & marine approaches by influencing policy, provide solid scientific and practical expertise and on the ground actions. NatureNet Europe will use its extensive European national and local networks to achieve its goals.

The network of NatureNet Europe

Via the combined networks of its partners NatureNet Europe can reach millions of people. Two other European nature organization, Euronature and the EECONET Action Fund, will be observers to the board. NatureNet Europe will also seek close cooperation with the European Commission, UNEP, Council of Europe, IUCN and others.ECNC, EUCC and EUROSITE reflected their far-reaching commitments in a memorandum of cooperation, “The Loevestein Agreement”, named after the famous Dutch castle “Slot Loevestein”, where the agreement was reached on 7 October 2004. At the time, the partners adopted “EECONET Alliance” as the provisional name of the common organisation. In Summer 2005, NatureNet Europe was chosen as the final name. This was confirmed in an Amendment to the Loevestein Agreement, which was signed at the European Nature Conference in Apeldoorn, on 22 September 2005.

Beautiful Europe

Under the title “Beautiful Europe” NatureNet Europe is preparing a work programme 2006-2010. Through this work programme NatureNet Europe aims to:

• boost the establishment of the European ecological network of major nature areas by 2010, because in the wider Europe its realization is currently progressing too slowly. The EU and all European countries have agreed the the decline of nature and biodiversity at all geographical levels in Europe should be stopped by 2010
  
• promote collaboration between nature organisations in order to develop new and more effective approaches for conservation
  
• promote new forms of collaboration between nature conservation, land users, the economic and financial sectors.

The work programme is summarised in the posters Beautiful Europe , Establishing The European ecological network and Pan-European Coastal & Marine Ecological Network (PECMEN) that have been presented at the European Nature Conference (Apeldoorn, September 2005), co-organised by ECNC and EUROSITE, with the support of EUCC. NatureNet Europe and its partners support the Apeldoorn Appeal that various nature NGOs have presented at the European Nature Conference.

Recommendation Committee

A Recommendation Committee consisting of renowned people from various European countries and organisations, support the work programme of NatureNet Europe.