Facilitating the establishment of the Pan–European Ecological Network: a programme focusing on South-East Europe and the Black Sea Area

ECNC–European Centre for Nature Conservation is starting up a programme to facilitate the establishment of the Pan-European Ecological Network in South-East Europe and the Black Sea Area.

This two-year programme will be carried out by ECNC in cooperation with EUCC-the Coastal Union and Eurosite, and with various partner organizations and the governments in this region. The programme is funded by the BBI Matra fund of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The programme aims to facilitate the establishment of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) in South-East Europe and the Black Sea Area, and to ensure that interests and considerations specific to these regions are taken into account in international policy processes dealing with PEEN. This programme will adopt an integrative approach, aimed at involving all relevant stakeholder groups and specifically including non-governmental stakeholders. The focus will be on:

• promoting the concept of PEEN among relevant actors and in relevant forums;
• initiating capacity building for ecological networks;
• stimulating involvement of the region in international processes;
• providing support to organizations from the region in successfully applying for funding for projects in support of ecological networks and PEEN.

In July 2006 the SEENET programme website was officially launched by the president of the Committee of Experts for the development of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) of the Council of Europe, Mr Jan-Willem Sneep (more info). The SEENET website provides the opportunity for anyone to register online and to upload information on ecological networks, promote events of relevance to ecological networks and to add stakeholder organizations to a directory. We provide free access to this service.