Expansion of Nature Conservation Areas: Problems with Natura 2000 Implementation in Poland?

In spite of widespread support from most member countries’ societies for European Union policy, including support for the sustainable development idea, in many EU countries the levels of acceptance of new environmental protection programmes have been and, in particular in new member states, still are considerably low. The experience of the countries which were the first to implement union directives show that they cannot be effectively applied without widespread public participation. The goal of this study was, using the example of Poland, to assess public acceptance of the expansion of nature conservation in the context of sustainable development principles and to discover whether existing nature governance should be modified when establishing new protected areas. The increase in protected areas in Poland has become a hotbed of numerous conflicts. In spite of the generally favourable attitudes to nature which Polish people generally have, Natura 2000 is perceived as an unnecessary additional conservation tool. Both local authorities and communities residing in the Natura areas think that the programme is a hindrance, rather than a help in the economic development of municipalities or regions, as was initially supposed. This lack of acceptance results from many factors, mainly social, historic and economic. The implications of these findings for current approach to the nature governance in Poland are discussed

Contribution of social science to large scale biodiversity conservation : a review of research about the Natura 2000 network

Successful conservation needs to be informed by social science because it is closely linked to socio-economic processes and human behaviour. Limited knowledge about ecosystems' interactions with these processes currently undermines conservation efforts. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of social science concerning the world's largest multinationally-coordinated conservation infrastructure: the European Ecological Network - ‘Natura 2000’. Based on a review of 149 publications, we analyse and discuss the main findings and outline key social-science research gaps with regard to the Natura 2000 network. The review shows that human dimension of the Natura 2000 network is complex and varies among EU Member States. In general, low level and quality of public participation in implementation of the Natura 2000 network and its management, negative public perceptions of the network, lack of flexibility of responsible authorities and insufficient consideration of the local context pose the greatest challenges to the network's functioning. Important but hitherto little studied research topics include: evaluation of participation; effects of education on potential to raise public awareness; effects of potential financing mechanisms for compensating private land-owners; economic studies on cost-effectiveness; and benefits from conservation and ecosystem services. These knowledge gaps will need to be filled for the Natura 2000 network to reach its goals

Evaluating the Impact of a School Waste Education Programme Upon Students', Parents' and Teachers' Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour

In the following study we have evaluated the impact of a school education programme upon students', parents' and teachers' environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Students (aged 11-13) from primary schools in Kraków, Poland, participated in the programme over a period of four months and together with their parents and teachers were surveyed using questionnaires at the conclusion of the programme. Overall, findings revealed that the programme improved student knowledge and awareness of municipal waste. Improvement in knowledge weakly correlated with age, enjoyment of the programme and self-reported learning. Three quarters of the students shared their learning with their parents and a third attempted to improve waste practices in their homes. The majority of parents reported that the programme was valuable and confirmed frequent family discussions often leading to a change in household attitudes and waste practices. Teachers also evaluated the programme positively, recommending its implementation as an ideal solution to the national waste problems. Other results of the study are discussed and suggestions for instruction are provided

Contribution of social science to large scale biodiversity conservation : a review of research about the Natura 2000 network

Successful conservation needs to be informed by social science because it is closely linked to socio-economic processesand human behaviour. Limited knowledge about ecosystems' interactions with these processes currentlyundermines conservation efforts. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of social science concerningthe world's largest multinationally-coordinated conservation infrastructure: the European Ecological Network- ‘Natura 2000'. Based on a review of 149 publications, we analyse and discuss the main findings and outlinekey social-science research gapswith regard to the Natura 2000 network. The review shows that human dimensionof the Natura 2000 network is complex and variesamong EUMember States. In general, lowlevel and qualityof public participation in implementation of the Natura 2000 network and its management, negative public perceptionsof the network, lack of flexibility of responsible authorities and insufficient consideration of the localcontext pose the greatest challenges to the network's functioning. Important but hitherto little studied researchtopics include: evaluation of participation; effects of education on potential to raise public awareness; effects ofpotential financing mechanisms for compensating private land-owners; economic studies on cost-effectiveness;and benefits from conservation and ecosystem services. These knowledge gaps will need to be filled for theNatura 2000 network to reach its goals