Management and Mapping Ecosystem Services in a Privately Owned Natura 2000 Site: An Insight into the Stellantis–La Mandria Site (Italy)

Abstract

The Natura 2000 network is an ecological network covering the whole territory of the European Union to ensure the long-term maintenance of threatened or rare natural habitats and species of flora and fauna, including in metropolitan and rural areas. Some of the Natura 2000 sites have been subject to changes in ownership that have led to a fragmentation of the territory. Private entities may own areas within a Natura 2000 site and must ensure sustainable management of their property, especially from an ecological point of view. The case study is the Stellantis–La Mandria site, a private area owned by Stellantis, within the Natura 2000 site “ZSC IT1110079 La Mandria”, near Turin. The research proposes a participatory methodology, mainly addressed in this first phase to experts and professionals and aimed at the valorisation and management of private Natura 2000 sites previously considered as industrial sites, to allow a careful fruition and safeguarding of the natural heritage. The aim of the research is to provide a methodological approach and the first qualitative results useful to providing the owners with an indication for a more targeted management of the site; mapping the areas that provide ecosystem services (ES, especially cultural ones); mapping the areas that could be subject to future fruition; collaborating with the managing body to collect useful data for the future drafting of a new area plan. Two main research activities were carried out, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis concerning the management and possible future fruition of the site and a participatory mapping of ES. It should be emphasised that the research allowed the first results to be obtained, which, on the one hand, make it possible to validate the methodology used to achieve the objectives and, on the other hand, the results will have to be implemented over time by involving numerous stakeholders among those who can access the private area. The results of the research highlight opportunities and threats with regard to the conservation of ecological–environmental characteristics and future fruition of the site. The participatory mapping identifies areas with different ecological value and, therefore, different management needs and identifies areas that could be used differently for future fruition. Overall, the results aim to meet some of the European Commission’s wishes regarding Natura 2000 sites, with particular reference to the involvement of different stakeholders and experts for the conservation of biodiversity and the integration of ecological and social aspects into the management and fruition plans.

Mapping biodiversity and cultural values complemented with understanding of social dynamics provides effective means for addressing opportunities for nature conservation in a cultural landscape

“…In this research, we used biodiversity inventory, nature-related value mapping and social system understanding to highlight the challenges and opportunities for nature conservation in a Natura 2000 site which evolved as a cultural landscape. Participatory mapping of social values along with natural elements were successfully implemented in other protected areas of Europe including Italy (Battisti et al, 2022), Poland (Maczka et al, 2019), Greece (Vlami et al, 2020), Spain (Garcia-Nieto et al, 2015) and other countries (e.g., Strzelecka et al, 2017). Our research also shows that past land use, even if abandoned for decades, can have a strong legacy effect on the current protected species and habitats distribution.…”

Towards forward-looking nature governance to meet conservation goals of Natura 2000 sites in the European Union: experts’ perspectives

“…The main concept behind the Natura 2000 network is to support the long-term condition and survival of the most valuable and threatened species and habitats on the European continent (Evans, 2012). It spans over 28 European countries, comprises more than 27000 sites, and covers circa 18% of the EU land territory, being the largest ecological network in the world (Battisti et al, 2022) next to the Yellowstone-to-Yukon Conservation Initiative in North America (Chester, 2015) and the Australian Alps-to-Atherton Connectivity Conservation Area in Australia (Pulsford et al, 2010). The protected species and habitats may be either endangered, endemic, or characteristic of the EU's 14 biogeographical regions; and the wide diversity of PAs makes the network a key biodiversity conservation tool in the EU (Orlikowska et al, 2016).…”