BPAN projects

BPAN project (2011-2014)

The BPAN projects promoted and supported the establishment of a representative network of protected areas in the Barents Region. Protected area network is an important tool for biodiversity conservation and for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. A representative network of protected areas safeguards biodiversity, supports natural ecosystems and maintains ecosystem services. The BPAN projects compiled and analysed information on protected areas across borders.

 

The main elements of the BPAN project in 2011-2014:

• GIS analysis of the protected area network, including classification of the protected areas

• Regional evaluation on protected areas using the CBD PoWPA framework

• Regional pilot projects on threatened high conservation value areas in northwest Russia

• Communication and awareness raising

 

Evaluating protected area network

The BPAN project provided compiled information, thematic maps and a wide range of analysed information on protected areas. The main results are presented in the publications:

• “Evaluation of the Protected Area Network in the Barents Region. Using the Programme of Work on Protected Areas of the Convention on Biological Diversity as a Tool”
• “The Characteristics and Representativeness of the Protected Area Network in the Barents Region”
• Policy brief “Barents Protected Area Network – Recommendations for Strengthening the Protected Area Network in the Barents Region” is based on the project results. It is available in English, Russian, Finnish and Swedish.

The recommendations and the main results of the BPAN project were presented in the meeting of the Barents environment ministers in December 2013 in Inari, Finland.

BPAN II phase project implementation (2015-2017)

The 2nd phase of the BPAN project aimed to promote and support the establishment of a representative network of protected areas in the Barents Region with the main focus on coastal areas and high conservation value forests. In 2015-2017 two projects were implemented to support these goals:

• Mapping existing and planned coastal protected areas and other sensitive coastal areas
• Supporting regional efforts to secure critical conservation of forests with high conservation value as a key to achieve CBD Aichi biodiversity targets in the Barents Region

Implementation

The BPAN projects were implemented by nature conservation authorities, scientific institutes and nature conservation NGOs in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Northwest Russia. The project was an initiative as well as a key biodiversity project of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council’s Working Group on Environment. The main results are presented in the publications:

• “Protected areas and high conservation value forests in the Barents Region: Sweden, Finland and Russia“
• Results in brief: “Protected areas and high conservation value forests in the Barents Region: Sweden, Finland and Russia“
• “Expert conclusions for strengthening the coastal protected area network in the Barents Region“.