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This Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) describes the impacts of a proposed 54 km MTB-network on the northwest-coast of Aruba, the cumulative impacts of other visitor-groups as well as setting out some fifteen measures to mitigate the impacts concerned. The proposed MTB-network is, in theory, an improvement for the ecological environment if compared to the present MTB-network, though additional measures are needed before speaking about a ‘sustainable’ MTB-network. Sustainable development can only be achieved with a nature and visitor management plan (including MTB) for the project area as a whole, that matches the ambitions set out in Aruba’s Spatial Development Plan 2019., Deze milieueffectrapportage (MER) beschrijft de effecten van een voorgesteld MTB-netwerk van 54 km aan de noordwestkust van Aruba, de cumulatieve effecten van andere bezoekersgroepen en een vijftiental maatregelen om de betreffende effecten te mitigeren. Het voorgestelde MTB-netwerk is in theorie een verbetering voor de ecologische omgeving in vergelijking met het huidige MTB-netwerk, hoewel aanvullende maatregelen nodig zijn voordat er over een ‘duurzaam’ MTB-netwerk kan worden gesproken. Duurzame ontwikkeling kan alleen worden bereikt met een natuur- en bezoekersbeheerplan (inclusief MTB) voor het projectgebied als geheel, passend bij de ambities in het Ruimtelijk Ontwikkelingsplan 2019 van Aruba.

Plant species dispersal has been strongly enhanced by human activities. Introduced species have to cope with indigenous species and local conditions. They may avoid indigenous species by occupying new (abiotic) territory. Once a species is established it may become a pest, and may seriously threaten other species and ecosystems. In this paper we focus on invasive plant species of the Dutch flora. We make two comparisons: (1) Dutch neophytes (i.e. arrived in The Netherlands after 1825) vs. indigenous Dutch flora; and (2) species of the Dutch flora that have become invasive outside Europe vs. non-invasive species of the Dutch flora. We hypothesize that at least part of the success of the invasive or neophyte species is due to their ability to grow under a wider range of abiotic soil circumstances than other species. We regard an invasive species as successful if it is able to disperse from the introduction site(s) and remain present in the invaded vegetation.For ten out of the sixteen abiotic factors there isa wider range for the neophytes: chlorine, potassium, mean highest and lowest groundwater level, phosphorus (and total content) and pH H2O. We hypothesized that part of the success of invasive species may be the adaptation to a variety of abiotic soil parameters. This is indeed the case for a number of the examined parameters, mostly related to nutrient availability and soil pH. This indicates that the success of invasive species is at least partly caused by their ability to grow under a wide range of nutrient availability and soil pH. Their success may therefore be stimulated by the increasing pollution of natural areas by excessive nitrogen

Wetenschappers, boeren, bedrijven en natuurorganisaties maken zich zorgen over de sterke afname van biodiversiteit in Nederland en Europa. Wageningen University & Research draagt bij aan biodiversiteit door kennis te ontwikkelen op diverse niveaus: genetisch, in soorten en ecosystemen, in circulaire en natuurinclusieve landbouw en het geven van beleidsadvies.

In order to assess the significance of the presumed “umbrella effect” of Natura 2000 areas the European Commission initiated a study, in 2013, to address the following questions: 1) Which are, amongst the species regularly occurring within the European territory of the EU-28 Member States, those that significantly benefit from the site conservation under the EU Birds and Habitats Directive? 2) What is the percentage of all species occurring in the wild in the EU that benefit significantly from Natura 2000? 3) How significant is the contribution of Natura 2000 in relation to the objective of halting and reversing biodiversity loss? The approach used existing data, and covered the terrestrial mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibian, butterfly and plant species. The analysis is mostly based on statistical distribution models and GIS processing of species distribution data in relation to their presence within protected areas of the Natura 2000 network. The main findings for all species groups were: Animal species for which Natura 2000 areas were not specifically designated occur more frequently inside Natura 2000 than outside (in particular breeding birds and butterflies). These species do, therefore, gain benefit from the protected areas network. The species for which Natura 2000 areas were designated generally occur more frequently within the Natura 2000 site boundaries than the nonannex species; this is in particular the case for birds and butterflies, for amphibians and reptiles the difference is negligible. More specific conclusions and findings, as well as discussion of these results and implications for further studies are included in the report.

This report presents the result of an online survey amongst key-stakeholders involved in the management planning and management of Natura 2000 sites in in England, Flanders, France and the Netherlands. The survey was held in a total of 91 sites and resulted in 464 (fully or partially) completed surveys (response rate was 20%). Overall, the results of the survey indicate that perceptions of actors in the area differ among actor groups, especially in regard to statements that measure impacts or value judgements. This result underlines the importance of including a broad range of stakeholders in the policy evaluations of the management of the area. Overall, the differences between the geographical areas are small, except on topics related to the discussion between the government and involved stakeholders were a moderate difference was found. Also the status of prior designation has a small effect on how respondents view the discussion on management., Dit rapport geeft de resultaten weer van een enquête gehouden onder partijen betrokken bij het beheerplanprocesof het beheer van Natura 2000 gebieden in Engeland, Vlaanderen, Frankrijk en Nederland. Deenquête is gehouden in 91 Natura 2000-gebieden en heeft in totaal 464 reacties opgeleverd (respons van 20%). Het onderzoek laat zien dat de betrokken partijen verschillend denken over de gevolgen van het beleid,vooral als hen stellingen worden voorgelegd over de grootte van de impact van Natura 2000, of als hen overwaardeoordelen wordt gevraagd. Dit onderstreept wederom het belang van het betrekken van verschillendepartijen bij de evaluatie van beleid. In het algemeen waren de verschillen tussen Engeland, Vlaanderen,Frankrijk en Nederland gering. Het verschil is echter groter waar het onderwerpen betreft die te makenhebben met de discussie tussen overheid en betrokken partijen over het beheer. Ook het al of niet hebbenvan een beschermde status reeds voor de aanwijzing tot Natura 2000-gebied heeft een gering effect op hetoordeel van respondenten

The impact of landscape fragmentation is well recognised as one of the key contributors to the past and present decline in European wildlife. Ecological networks were seen as a solution to this problem and have been the subject of research, policy and practice for nearly 40 years; resulting in many examples of best practice and lessons learned. More recently the European Commission has introduced the concept of Green Infrastructure (GI) which retains the frame work of ecological networks at its core but which offers a more sophisticated integration of economic and social factors and the delivery of a range of ecosystem services. GI has already been included as a concept in EU strategy and offers much for future policy making and delivery of sectoral integration. The views of stakeholders indicate that there a number of key areas for improvement but confirm the potential of the concept. Further work should consider the practicalities of the full translation of the protected area networks into functional ecological networks and making them integral building blocks of the green infrastructure both at the level of policy and practice. In addition information about how to create actual ecological networks at the delivery level, particularly where this has involved stakeholder and public participation needs to be researched and made widely available. The issue of communication; specifically to politicians and decision makers within key sectors (such as spatial planning, transport, industry, etc.) but more widely to researchers, conservation practitioners, businesses and the interested public remain to be fully addressed.