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| Sefton Coast Partnership | Shoreline Management | Nature and Wildlife | Coastal Heritage | Visiting the Coast | Students and Teachers | Coastlines | |
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Winter 1997Sharing an international perspectiveArticle by John Houston, Project Manager, Sefton Coast Life Project.The Sefton Coast is one of the largest dune systems in Great Britain. It is also however one link in a chain of western European dune sites that stretch from north Denmark to Portugal and include the United Kingdom and Ireland. In ecological terms this is called the Atlantic Biogeographical Region in that it has a mild 'Atlantic' climate rather than a 'Continental' or ' Mediterranean' climate. In October 1997 the Sefton Coast Life Project hosted a meeting of European conservationists to address some of the issues affecting dune management in north west Europe. A workshop, sponsored primarily by the European Commission, and organised in association with Eurosite brought together over 40 participants from 9 countries to share their experience. The outcome of such a meeting is a better understanding of how the Sefton Coast sits in Europe and the recognition that managers on the Sefton Coast are not alone in their efforts to seek a balance between the interests of people and nature. Dune managers from Ireland, the Netherlands, France and Belgium met with local field staff and were invited to suggest how they would tackle the management of our sites. European nature managers are brought together because of the need to look at the implications of the EU Habitats Directive across the whole range of a habitat or the distribution of a species. Take for example, the Natterjack Toad. It occurs in several countries in western Europe and as far east as the Baltic States. Its conservation requires an international, national and local perspective. Reserve managers operate at the local level but, for them to be able to appreciate their contribution to the conservation of a species or habitat, wider knowledge is important. The aim of Eurosite is to facilitate the exchange of experience between field staff. Rangers on the Sefton Coast were able, through the workshop, to share their experience with colleagues on nature reserves in other countries. Representatives to the workshop came from far afield as Lithuania and Hungary. The implication of the EU Habitats Directive through the designation by 2004, at the latest, of a series of Natura 2000 sites across Europe is a challenge to nature mangers. The Sefton beach area is already a European site ( a Special Protection Area, SPA ) and the dune area is a candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC). By June 1998 national Governments should have finalised a list of 'Sites of Community Interest' which will go forward for designation as Special Areas of Conservation. In time the acronyms of SAC and SPA will become better known as Natura 2000 sites. Natura 2000 will help to give an international perspective to nature conservation. In the future it may seem quite natural that the Sefton Coast maintains contact with similar Natura 2000 sites in other countries. This is because Natura 2000 sites will be designated on the basis of habitats and species and these do not respect national boundaries! Copies of proceedings of the Eurosite workshop are available in the Sefton Coast Information Centre.
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