The EU’s Natura 2000 network of protected sites was set up to secure Europe’s natural heritage, identifying and preserving unique ecosystems and species for the future. However, many sites are increasingly degraded, including by logging.
PFPI created an interactive screening tool to examine historic logging in Natura 2000 sites from 2001 to 2023. We built a database using Landsat imagery from Global Forest Watch to document probable clear-cuts and thinning, then verified the logging at selected sites using high-resolution imagery from Google Earth Pro.
Logging is not forbidden in Natura 2000 sites, but the Habitats Directive (Article 6.3) requires that projects (including logging) go through a formal assessment to ensure they don’t harm protected areas. There is good reason to suspect that most of the logging in Natura sites is not undergoing required assessments.
PFPI identified over 600 instances of probable clearcuts and thinning inside protected area boundaries. However, there are more than 27,000 Natura 2000 sites, so undoubtably there are many more such instances.
Do you suspect that a Natura site you care about has been logged? You can request an analysis. Send us the name of the site or a specific set of GPS coordinates. Assuming satellite data are available, we can apply the screening methodology to look for historical evidence of forest clearing.
With your help, we can combine this screening tool with on-the-ground verification, to help strengthen protections for Natura 2000 forests.
Explore the data here
