Apply now for the European Natura 2000 Award 2018

With the European Natura 2000 Award, the European Commission recognises outstanding and innovative contributes to nature conservation. adelphi supports the Commission in the organisation and continued development of the award. Individuals and organisations are invited to apply.

The European Commission has today launched the competition for the fourth European Natura 2000 Award. The reward is dedicated to recognising and raising awareness of excellence in the management and innovative promotion of nature conservation. The Award also contributes to the fourth priority area of the Commission’s recently adopted Action Plan to better conserve nature and biodiversity in the EU, for the benefit of its citizens and the economy.

In the course of the award’s first three competitions in 2014 to 2016,  more than 300 applications from a wide range of initiatives were received. The previous 17 winners have reported finding broad resonance with the European public.

Apply for the Natura 2000 Award 2018 through 15 October 2017

The European award is open to all local and regional authorities, businesses, non-governmental organisations, landowners, educational institutions and individuals organised within the Natura 2000 network. The prizes are awarded in a total of five categories: nature conservation, communication, socio-economic benefits, cross-border cooperation and networking as well as in balancing different interests/visions. In addition, a European audience prize has been issued since 2015. All submissions are reviewed and evaluated by independent experts. The winners will be announced as part of a high-quality award ceremony on the Natura 2000 Day on 21 May 2018 in Brussels.

Now in its fourth year, adelphi has once again taken on the organisation and direction of the competition for the European Commission. Along with four partners, adelphi is leading the Natura 2000 Award Secretariat. The secretariat is responsible for running the application and evaluation process, organising the award ceremony, and leads the communication and coordination efforts, while also organising follow-up events at local level. 

The Natura 2000 Award recognises projects in the world’s largest network of nature conservation sites

Natura 2000 is an EU-wide network of over 27,000 nature conservation sites of inestimable value to the conservation of the diversity of European fauna and flora. The Natura 2000 Network contains more than 18% of land area and 6% of seas in the EU, offering not only a range of ecological benefits but also between 1.7 and 2.5% of EU GDP by providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, water purification, pollination and tourism.

The application form and further information can be retrieved on the Award’s website.