The workshop brought together ecologists/biologists, members of Governmental bodies and geographers and IT-experts to bridge the gap between what is required by end-users and what is currently achievable with remote sensing. Participants tried to define the user needs for monitoring, reporting and conservation of Natura 2000 habitats and explore current and future uses of remote sensing in this area.
At present, Member States have to report on a regular basis to the European Commission on the conservation status of the Natura 2000 protected habitats. Yet, challenges are great and resources are limited. Remote sensing can become a valuable tool by generating useful, up-to-date information over larger areas. However, the operational use of remote sensing in nature conservation, and more specifically in the monitoring of protected habitat types, is still very limited and may be constrained by a lack of understanding of each other's domains by users and providers.
The EU would like to see standardised datasets collected throughout Europe by the Member states, which would make monitoring of habitats easier across EU. There was, however, a critique by scientists on those standardised datasets, as these in some cases do not provide the necessary information for effective conservation. EU wide indicators are not always relevant for on regional level. Also the lack of a method to evaluate maps and reports provided by the Member states was also criticised.
In future, expectations need to be managed, and users need to know the possibilities of remote sensing to actually ask for the right data, that matches its purpose. Like wise, the providers need to know the purpose of the datasets they need to provide. For remote sensing methods to be optimally exploitable, the dialogue between users and providers needs to be enhanced.

For more information, contact Gabor von BETHLENFALVY