Brussels, 08/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - In the 2002 selection round, the Commission received 188 applications for the LIFE-Nature project of which 70 were accepted. The projects represent a total investment of €130 million in nature conservation, to which the European Union will contribute up to €72 million. Project beneficiaries from regional or local authorities will cover the remainder, as well as 25% from NGOs and their partners. 18 projects cover bird species listed in the Birds Directive. 14 projects target listed species not linked to particular sites. For those projects targeting Natura 2000 sites, the whole range of habitats is covered. Rivers and wetlands are particularly well represented.
56 of these projects will be implemented in Member States and thirteen in 5 candidate countries (Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Romania and Slovenia) to enable them to prepare implementation of Community legislation on conservation. The most common actions proposed in the projects are the drawing up and implementation of management plans, management of watercourses, land purchase (especially in northern Europe), grazing management, protection of exotic species and site restoration and improvement. However, the range of actions is very wide, from the controlled feeding of vultures to the insulation of power lines.
Life Nature is one of three aspects to Instrument Life (consisting of Life Nature, Life Environment and Life Third country, which fund projects that promote better environmental practices in the Union as well as nature conservation. The current Life programme (Life III) is in force since 2000 and runs until 2004 with a budget of Euro 640. The part that is allocated to funding Life Nature projects represents almost half of the budget. A summary of these projects on a country by country basis can be found on the Internet address: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/life/nature/databas.htm