The LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 project holds its fourth transfer and replication workshop in Greece
The LIFE A MAR NATURA 2000 project has held its fourth transfer and replication workshop in Heraklion (Greece), following previous meetings in Malta, Nice, and Albania. The session took place on 29th January 2026 and was convened by the project partners, the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) and Triton Research, together with the LIFE Mare Natura project, coordinated by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR).
The aim of the meeting was to foster the exchange of experiences on management of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment, as well as to promote the transfer of good practices related to governance, stakeholder engagement, communication, and conservation. This workshop forms part of the project’s replicability action, designed to support a more effective and coherent implementation of the Natura 2000 network across the Mediterranean basin.
During the session, representatives from MedPan, Fundación Biodiversidad and the Greek agency NECCA provided an updated overview of the current state of designation of marine Natura 2000 sites in the Mediterranean and in countries such as Spain and Greece. The discussion addressed key progress achieved to date, as well as the main challenges and opportunities for strengthening the network and improving its management in a context of increasing pressures on the marine environment.
One of the core sections of the workshop focused on participatory governance and the involvement of local communities and key sectors in the management of protected areas. Experts from Fundación Biodiversidad, NECCA and Triton Research shared experiences on conflict resolution, stakeholder engagement strategies, capacity building and collaborative approaches implemented within marine protected areas. These insights were supported by methodologies applied across different projects and Mediterranean countries, building collaboratives approaches implemented within marine protected areas.
The programme also included the presentation of communication and awareness raising initiatives related to marine conservation, highlighting the environmental education campaigns developed through LIFE A-MAR, as well as other applications and interactive tools used in both Spain and Greece to promote public involvement in the protection of marine biodiversity.‑raising initiatives related to marine conservation, highlighting the environmental education campaigns developed through LIFE A-MAR, as well as other applications and interactive tools used in both Spain and Greece to promote public involvement in the protection of marine biodiversity.
Participants also engaged in discussion spaces addressing management challenges within Natura 2000 sites, the need to enhance transnational cooperation, the fostering of planning and governance mechanisms, and the opportunities offered by technology to support marine conservation.
This workshop in Greece is part of the transfer action of the LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 project, which seeks to share techniques, knowledge and experiences to improve the management of Mediterranean marine protected areas and strengthen cooperation among countries. Through these exchanges, the project continues to advance participatory approaches, communication and governance strategies that contribute to a more effective implementation of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment.
