Brussels, 09/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has approved funding for 77 nature conservation projects under the LIFE Nature programme 2004. The projects will further contribute to the establishment of the EU-wide Natura 2000 network of areas safeguarding important wildlife habitats and threatened species. The projects will physically restore protected areas and their fauna and flora, establish sustainable management structures and strengthen public awareness. Of the selected projects, 75 will be carried out in EU Member States and two in Romania. LIFE Nature is one of three funding strands under the EU's environmental programme LIFE whose goal is to support the implementation of EU environmental policies and legislation. Funding under LIFE approved in 2004 totals EUR 160 million.
From the 250 proposal submitted for LIFE Nature funding, the Commission has selected 77. Together, they represent total investment of EUR 140 million in nature conservation, of which the EU will cover EUR 76 million. The remaining funding will come from the beneficiaries, project partners and co-financiers. Most of the selected LIFE Nature projects will directly target the conservation or restoration of particular Natura 2000 sites or networks of sites. Others aim to protect threatened or vulnerable animal or plant species. The most common project activities deal with the development and implementation of management plans, management of watercourses, land purchase (especially in northern Europe), grazing management, elimination of alien species, and site restoration and improvement. Part of all the projects are measures to disseminate the results and lessons learnt to stakeholders and the general public. If relevant, the projects will also monitor and document the impact of their actions. For more information, consult: http: //europa.eu.int/common/environment/nature/home.htm.