‘Nature management and restoration’ programme

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Details

This programme shows strong synergy with INBO's core task of providing scientific support within the framework of the Nature Restoration Law. This core task cuts across programmes and is followed up within INBO as a separate project.

The “Nature Management and Restoration” programme, on the other hand, steers projects related to knowledge development in nature management and restoration. It will provide tools for the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law. The emphasis is on open nature with protected status under Flemish and European regulations.

The challenges for nature management and restoration in Flanders are considerable, given the poor “conservation status” of most species and habitat types. The need for scientific support comprises four pillars to which the programme contributes:

• Monitoring the status and trends of nature areas, ecosystems, ecotopes and species;
• Research into the (landscape) ecological functioning of ecosystems;
• Knowledge development and sharing for nature management and restoration;
• Socio-economic benefits of nature restoration projects.

The “Nature conservation and restoration” and “Nature networks” programmes are the result of the split of the “Protected nature” programme at the end of 2024. An updated vision for both programmes will be drawn up in 2025. Priorities for the Nature conservation and restoration programme are:

• Substantiating criteria for determining nature quality;
• Supporting ecological research for the purpose of determining nature quality and assessing potential;
• Long-term ecological research into ecological processes and upscaling in nature management;
• Monitoring nature quality, management and restoration at the area level;
• Developing ecosystem visions based on Landscape Ecological System Analysis (LESA);
• Knowledge development and sharing for nature management and restoration (e.g. via the Flemish Biodiversity Portal; Ecopedia);
• Scientific support (research and monitoring) for the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen (19388), in the context of the transition to emission reduction policy.

Teams

• Wildlife Management and Invasive Species
• Nature & Society
• Management Team
• Biotope Diversity
• Landscape Ecology and Nature Management
• Species Diversity
• Datamanagement
• Own Capital INBO
• Estuaries
• Environment and Climate
• Nature Report and Advice Coordination
• Freshwater Habitats
• Monitoring and Restoration of Aquatic Fauna

INBO Research theme(s)

• Protected nature

Tags

• management
• monitoring
• nature