Workshop on Harmonisation of Nordic Habitat Classifications in an EU Perspective

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Copenhagen : Nordic Council of Ministers 2005
• Subjects: ympäristö; Miljø; Umhverfi; Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:norden:org:diva-1129

This report is the outcome of a workshop on habitat classification in general and the concerted action EU project BioHab in particular, held in Stockholm in 2004. The main aim was to create an overview of Nordic classification and monitoring of habitats on a landscape level and to suggest improvements of the Pan-European BioHab habitat categories. Since only three countries represent the Nordic/Baltic region among a total of 13 partners in BioHab, it was necessary to collect knowledge and draw experience from additional Nordic colleagues. Experts from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden participated. We live in a time of major, rapid changes to ecosystems that fundamentally affect the landscape and its dynamic patterns of habitats and biotopes. There is an increasing awareness of the need to acknowledge our accountability in order to sustain landscapes and biodiversity for future generations. Pan-European efforts to establish consensus regarding habitat classification and monitoring procedures are useful steps towards achieving these goals. The workshop confirmed that Nordic views on habitat classification and mapping differ from the mainstream in BioHab. A list of relevant literature was compiled to support the scientific descriptions of Nordic habitats in the BioHab field hand book. The workshop pointed out the significance of the Nordic Vegetation types developed by the Nordic Council of Ministers as a common denominator between the national and EU systems.