General reporting format for the 2007-2012 report

0.1 Member State	DK - Denmark

1. Main achievements under the Habitats Directive

1.1. Text in national language	Lovgivningen for den danske implementering af naturdirektiverne herunder habitatdirektivet er blevet væsentligt revideret og konsolideret i rapporteringsperioden. Det inkluderer lovgivning hos sektorministerier, der omhandler fiskeri, energi og transport, og følger en tilgang med sektorintegration, hvor det enkelte sektor ministerium er ansvarlige for, at der sker en vurdering af eventuelle konsekvenser af planer og projekter indenfor deres respektive ressort. Danmark har nu en vidtrækkende lovgivning, der skal sikre, at alle relevante planer og projekter behandles med respekt for habitatdirektivets artikel 6.3 (dvs. en vurdering af eventuelle konsekvenser af planer og projekter), samt beskyttelse af arter, der følger af direktivets artikel 12 (såkaldte bilag 4 arter hvor dyrene og deres levesteder er beskyttet). Det er det generelle indtryk, at sektormyndighederne tager disse lovmæssige tiltag alvorligt. Hvis det ikke skulle være tilfældet, vil de relevante ankenævn kunne gribe ind, i tilfælde af at der foretages utilstrækkelige vurderinger, der ikke respekterer direktivet. Systemet har vist sig at være effektivt, i de tilfælde hvor EU kommissionen har startet en sag eller fremsendt en åbningsskrivelse (bortset fra et tilfælde, der endnu ikke er tilendebragt), er sagerne blevet lukket igen af kommisionen. I mange tilfælde kan afværgeforanstaltninger eller rettidige ændringer i planer eller projekter sikre undgåelse af skade på habitatområder og arter. Nogle myndigheder har udviklet nye værktøjer til administrationen af direktivet fx har det danske vejdirektorat udviklet et IT værktøj, der vurderer påvirkningen af vejprojekter på vidtudbredte såkaldte bilag 4-arter som fx spidssnudet frø eller stor vandsalamander til brug for fastlæggelse af afværgeforanstaltninger. Der er siden sidste afrapportering anvendt en systematisk planlægningstilgang for alle danske Natura 2000-områder. Områderne dækker ca. 8,3 % af det danske landareal og 17,7 % af det marine areal. Denne planlægningsproces betyder, at der er udarbejdet en naturplan for i alt 246 Natura 2000-områder. Siden er udpeget 6 nye marine områder. Disse vil blive indrullet i planlægningen fra næste planperiode fra 2016-2021. Tilhørende handleplaner på et mere detaljeret niveau er udarbejdet af kommuner (for private arealer) og statslige lodsejere for alle 246 områder. Planerne ligger på Naturstyrelsens hjemmeside: www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Natura_2000_planer/ Planerne blev offentliggjort i december 2011. Til grund for planerne ligger en såkaldt basisanalyse, der er en opsummering af den eksisterende viden for det enkelte område. Baseret på erfaringerne fra første planperiode er den danske miljømålslov blevet revideret. For at vurdere fremdrift i planlægningstiltagene, er der udarbejdet såkaldte Natura 2000-tilstandssystemer for forskellige naturtyper herunder de fleste lysåbne naturtyper, skove og søer samt levesteder for visse arter. Tilstandssystemet er et dialogværktøj bl.a. overfor lodsejere, der er møntet på tilstanden af konkrete arealer. Natura 2000-planer er bindende for de relevante myndigheder. Tiltagene for at forbedre Natura 2000 naturen vil indenfor planperioden udmønte sig i en række forbedrende aktiviteter inklusiv naturforvaltning (græsning, høslæt, rydning mv.), bekæmpelse af invasive arter, sikring af skovnatur, regulering af forstyrrelser, genetablering af naturlige vandløb og søer og etablering af nye vandhuller, konvertering af arealer til Natura 2000 natur samt regulering af fiskeri. Derudover sker der regulering af luftbåren kvælstof, hvilket blev gennemført i en revision af husdyrloven og forbedret vandkvalitet wil blive sikret med implementering af vandplanerne og udarbejdet som en del af gennemførslen af vandrammedirektivet. Udgangspunktet for aktiviteterne er, at de bliver indgået med lodsejere på frivillig basis. Det danske overvågningsprogram NOVANA implementerer direktivets artikel 11 og består dels af en kortlægning af relevante naturtyper og arter dels af en kontrolovervågning. Alle direktivarter og naturtyper overvåges som minimum en gang hvert sjette år og visse hvert år. Direktivforpligtelserne har skabt behov for en væsentlig forøgelse af naturovervågnings-indsatsen.
1.2. Translation into English	The legal framework for the Danish implementation of the nature directives has been substantially amended and consolidated during the reporting period, including legislation within sectoral ministries on fishery, energy and transport, following a sector integration approach making the sectoral ministries responsible for e.g. assessments of impact of plans and projects which they are responsible for. Denmark now has an exhaustive legal framework ensuring that all relevant plans and projects are treated under the provisions of article 6.3 and the species protection provisions under art. 12. It is the impression that authorities are now in general fully aware of these provisions, and if not the responsible complaint boards will catch up, e.g. in cases of inappropriate assessments or decisions tending to be taken without respect of the conditions given by Natura 2000 or species protection. The system has proven its stability in the few cases where the Commission has initiated a pilot procedure or an infraction case as the cases (with one pending exception) have been closed by the Commission. In many cases it is shown that mitigation measures or "smart" and timely adjustments of the plan or project can exclude negative impact on sites or species. Some authorities have even initiated the development of interesting tools for the administration, e.g. has the Danish Roads Directorate elaborated an IT tool for assessing the impact of road projects on the widespread annex IV-species Rana arvalis and Triturus cristatus in order to define mitigation measures. A systematic planning approach has been implemented in Denmark since last article 17 reporting covering all the Danish Natura 2000 areas. These areas cover 8.3 % of the Danish land area and 17.7 % of the marine. This planning approach implies that a management framework plan has been developed for a total of 246 Natura 2000 sites both SPAs and SACs. Since six nex marine sites have been added to the Danish list and these areas are expected to be covered by the second planning period from 2016 to 2021. More detailed action plans have been developed for private land ( municipalities) and state land (state owners) to facilitate implementation. The management plans are available at: www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Natura_2000_planer/ The plans were launched by the Minister of Environment in December 2011. They are build upon published analysises of the existing knowledge and studies, which summarises relevant information for each Natura 2000 area. Moreover, the Danish Act on Environmental Objectives on the implementation of the Habitat and Bird Directives as well as the Water Framework Directive has been revised based on the experiences from the first proces of developing management plans. In order to assess quality and trends of the species habitats and nature types at locality level a Danish system has been developed as a tool for dialouge with land owners and for the time being include a large number of terrestrial habitats and the first habitats for species. The Natura 2000 management plans are legally binding upon the authorities. Measures include habitat management (grazing, mowing, removal of scrub etc.), combating invasive alien species, conservation of forest habitats, regulation of disturbing activities, , restoring watercourses and lakes and establishing new ponds, conversion of areas to Natura 2000 habitat, regulation of fishery and coastal protection. Moreover, regulation of airborne nitrogen was undertaken through a revision of the act on domestic animals and enhanced water quality will take place through the implementation of the water plans prepared as part of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. As the point of departure a number of measures will be agreed upon on a voluntarily basis with land owners. The Danish monitoring scheme NOVANA is implementing article 11 of the directive and comprises mapping of relevant nature types and species as well as a control monitoring scheme including randomly spread plots throughout the country especially for the article 17 reporting. All Danish annex 2 and 4 species of the directive are monitored as a minimum once each sixth years or more often and some species every year. The obligations coming from the Habitat Directive have significantly increased the monitoring activities in Denmark.

2. General information sources on the implementation of the Habitats Directive – Links to information sources of the Member State

2.1 General information on the Habitats Directive	For general information see: www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Hvad_er_Natura_2000/
2.2 Information on the Natura 2000 network in the Member State	Denmark has designated 113 Special Protected Areas (SPA&s) for birds and 261 Special Areas for Conservation (SAC&s) for other species and for habitat types, together forming 252 Natura 2000 sites. The SAC&s comprise about 19,300 km². The SPA&s comprise 14,700 km². There is a considerable geographical overlap between the habitat and bird areas and taken together the Natura 2000 sites comprise about 3,590 km² and 18,686 km² land and marine area respectively. Approximately 60 habitats and 35 species listed in the Habitats Directive (appendix 1 and 2) and approximately 82 bird species listed in appendix 1 or covered by article 4.2 of the Birds Directive are listed in Denmark (Danish Agency for Nature 2010). These habitats and species have been reasons for the designation of Natura 2000 sites. Some sites are rather large, especially some coastal or marine sites such as the Eastern Bay of Aalborg or the Danish part of the Wadden Sea, which each covers more than 1,500 km². Other sites are small and a few hectares only. Moreover, some sites have fifty or more species and habitats listed for example Ringkøbing Fjord and the Wadden Sea and others have just one or a few such as marine sites with reefs or sandbanks or terrestrial sites containing one or a few habitats. The sites are formally designated by a statutory order. The Danish Agency for Nature in the Ministry of Environment is responsible for the designation as well as for the Natura 2000 planning process. For more information see: www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Hvad_er_Natura_2000/Danske_omraader/
2.3 Monitoring schemes (Art 11)	National monitoring programmes covering habitats and species and water and abbreviated NOVANA have been implemented since 2004 with the aim to collect data and follow especially directive related nature and water quality. The programme was initiated in 1988 as a follow up to various plans to restore water quality in the coastal areas as a consequence of severe oxygen deficiency catastrophes caused by heavy loads of nutrients. Today the programme has taken onboard the obligations from the EU nature (and water framework) directives. For more details: www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Hvordan_beskytter_vi_naturen/Overvaagning
2.4 Protection of species (Art 12-16)	The species protection provisions have been implemented legally through the Act on Hunting and Game Management and the Nature Protection Act and for fish species, mussels and a number of other aquatic species through the Fisheries Act. Furthermore, the implementation of the central article 12.1 d on the protection of breeding sites and resting places for annex IV species has been linked to the administration of a number of central acts on nature protection, spatial planning, forestry, environmental protection etc to ensure effective implementation. Important guidance documents has been elaborated, the main guidance document can be found here: http://www.naturstyrelsen.dk/NR/rdonlyres/A774F62A-AD26-44DC-9DCD-2A6F603CDDD4/127124/vejledningjuni2011pdf.pdf For a handbook on the Danish species of appendix 4 see: www2.dmu.dk/pub/fr635.pdf For administration of these species see: http://www.naturstyrelsen.dk/NR/rdonlyres/A774F62A-AD26-44DC-9DCD-2A6F603CDDD4/127124/vejledningjuni2011pdf.pdf For general definitions of terms see: www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Hvad_er_Natura_2000/N2000_begreberne
2.5 Transposing of the Directive (legal texts)	I. Designation and legal framework for the Natura 2000 planning system: Act on Environmental Objectives for Water Bodies and Internationally Protected Sites (https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=127102, legal basis for a number of statuatory orders on designation of sites, planning procedures etc.) II. Legal framework for the appropriate assessment regime (“passive protection” - article 6.3 and 6.4 procedures) For all relevant legislation within the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment article 6.3 and 6.4 procedures are laid down in the crosscutting statuatory order no 408 on the Designation and Administration of Internationally Protected Sites and the Protection of Selected Species. This includes art. 6.3 and 6.4 procedures for sector legislation on e.g. - raw material extraction (except for energy purposes), - water management, incl. ground water extraction - forestry, - marine protection (incl. dumping and authorisation of high speed ferries) - environmental protection (incl. environmental authorisation of enterprices, IPPC etc.), - environmental authorisation of animal farms - watercourses (incl. regulation and use of watercourses) - spatial planning - nature protection - contaminated soil - game and wildlife administration Please find the statuatory order here: https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=13043 The vast majority of the relevant plans and projects in the open countryside require either the adoption of a spatial plan or an authorisation which are covered by the provisions of this statuatory order. However, a number of activities in the countryside and within forests do not normally require authorisation etc under Danish law. To ensure an appropriate assessment according to art. 6.3, these activities must, before initiated within a Natura 2000 site, be notified by the landowner to the municipality (outside forests) or the Nature Agency (within forests). These provisions are included in the Nature Protection Act para 19 b and the Forest Act para 17. The notification scheme includes among other things - clearcutting in and conversion of forests - cultivation of non-protected grasslands - afforestation of agricultural areas in SPA’s - significant changes in the use of manure - significant changes in grazing pressure Furthermore, several sectoral ministries have included legal frameworks for art. 6.3 and 6.4 procedures on activities for which they are fully responsible and which are not already covered by the environmental legislation mentioned above. The main relevant acts are: Act on Fisheries Act on Roads Acts on the Use of Underground Resources and the Continental Shelf Act on Energinet.dk Acts on Electrical Power Supplies Act on Renewable Energy Act on Buildings Defensal activities (the legal framework included in the Nature Protection Act) III. Legal framework for pro active measures (art. 6.1 and 6.2) The above mentioned sector legislation also include provisions for the responsible authorities to take the necessary measures to avoid deterioration (art. 6.2) or the necessary conservation measures (art.6.1). It should be noted that all authorities are legally bound to implement the action programme included in the Natura 2000 Management Plans within their area of competence (further information below). For more information on the legal texts see www.naturstyrelsen.dk/Naturbeskyttelse/Natura2000/Hvad_er_Natura_2000/Lovgivning/ The Danish Natura 2000 planning process is anchored in an act on conservation objectives (Danish: Miljømålsloven) from 2003. The act contains obligations to develop management plans with objectives and priorities for the individual Natura 2000 sites as well as public hearings and a time frame. The act on conservation objectives forms the legal basis for the implementation of the article 6.1 of the Habitat Directive. The law comes with a number of statutory orders i.e. the statutory order on the development of conservation objectives (Danish: Målbekendtgørelsen), which provides details on a system of assessing conservation status i.e. standards for the individual habitats as described in the following section. The system for forest habitats is contained in a parallel statutory order on the developing of objectives in forests (Danish: Skovbekendtgørelsen). Moreover, an [statutory order on the development of action plans at the local level Danish: Handleplanbekendtgørelsen), basically states that the municipalities and the authority on certain forests are responsible at the local planning level to implement conservation priorities at each Natura 2000 site as stated in the management plan.

3. Natura 2000 – site designation

Natura 2000 (pSCIs, SCIs & SAC)	pSCIs, SCIs, SACs		SACs only
	Number of pSCIs,SCIs, SACs	Area of pSCIs, SCIs, SACs	Number of SACs	Area of SACs
3.1 All Sites	261	19575	255	18243
3.1.1 Terrestrial area of sites (excluding marine areas)
3.1.2 Marine area of sites
3.2 Date of database used	31-12-2012

4. Comprehensive management plans for the Natura 2000 sites (Art. 6(1))

4.1 Number of sites for which management plans have been adopted	255
4.2. % of the network area covered by management plans	93
4.3. Number of sites for which management plans are under preparation (Optional)	6

5. Measures taken in relation to approval of plans & projects (Art. 6.4)

5.1 Projects/plans with compensation measures
5.1.1 Site code	5.1.2 Site name	5.1.3 Year of project/plan	5.1.4 Title of project/plan	5.1.5 Commission oppinion requested?	5.1.6 Impact of projects
			So far, there has not been any article 6.4 derogations for Danish Natura 2000 sites which has been reported to the European Commission. Cases are solved within the article 6.3 regime.

6. Measures taken to ensure coherence of the Natura 2000 Network (Art. 10)

The Danish legislation includes a wide range of general regulation which support the protection of nature elements in the wider countryside between Natura 2000 sites. The most important is the general protection scheme under para 3 of the Nature Protection Act,which protects most of the scattered natural habitats (lakes, streams, heathland, moors, natural grasslands, salt marshes etc.) which are left in the open countrryside against changes in their natural conditions. A number of general mesasures have been taken to reduce the pressure factors on nature throughout the country, e.g. by reducing nutrients loads from animal farms on natural areas, which supports the protection of nature areas also outside Natura 2000. Furthermore, the Danish spatial planning system designate green corridors which is used as guidelines in the administration of authorisations etc However, it is a challenge in an extensively cultivated country like Denmark to ensure an appropriate coherence between the Natura2000 sites which often are far from each other. Recognising the necessity to act, it was for the first Natura 2000-planning period decided to take forward targeted measures to reduce fragmentation between particularly threatened habitat types and habitats for species, mainly within the sites, in order to fulfill the overall objective of the plans to halt further deterioration. Measures are also taken outside, e.g. by giving landowners the possibility to apply for RDPsubsidies for the maintenance of grasslands etc. However, more efforts to ensure the coherence and thus reduce the impact of the landuse outside Natura 2000 can be considered, following the provisions for efficient management of the Nature 2000 sites, and depending on the political decisions and prioritisation for the upcomning 2nd generation of management plans.

7. Reintroduction of Annex IV species (Art 22.a)

7.1.0 a) Species code	7.1.0 b) Species name	7.1.1 Reintroduction period	7.1.2 Reintroduction location and number of individuals reintroduced	7.1.3 Is the reintroduction successful?	7.1.4 Additional information
1337		2009-2011	Zeeland 5 localities, 23 individuals	yes	Taken from Beaver families along the Elbe, Germany.