Special conservation zone

The European Flora Fauna Habitat directive which supplements the Birds Directive, is intended to preserve biodiversity in the European Union by its preservation or restoration.

This directive requires member states to carry out an inventory of natural heritage in their territory, identify natural sites in which natural habitats of community interest are located (Annex I) or habitats housing a species of community interest (Annex II) and to propose these sites to the European Commission.

Landscape elements essential for migrations and exchanges between populations of species listed in Annex IV of the directive must also be included in the proposed sites.

Once approved, these sites become sites of community interest (SCI) and are added to the Natura 2000 network in the form of special conservation zones (SCZ).

Areas with natural habitats or habitats of species thus named must then be subject to protection and management measures. For its part, France has chosen the contractual path to apply these measures.