In the vast wetlands of the Camargue in southern France, flamingos wade through marshland that has been protected under Europe's Natura 2000 network for decades. But the landscape they depend on is shifting, and the people who guard it are changing with it.
Natura 2000 is the world's largest network of protected areas, spanning hundreds of millions of acres across the European Union with the mission of safeguarding critical species and habitats. For years, conservation here operated on a simple principle: preserve ecosystems as they historically existed. New research, however, reveals that more than half of the network's managers now see climate change as a direct threat to the biodiversity they're trying to protect—and they're doing something about it.
Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland conducted a large-scale survey of Natura 2000 managers across Europe, asking how they perceive and respond to climate-driven changes. The study, published in the journal Conservation Letters as part of the Biodiversa+ SPEAR project focused on bird conservation, found that the majority of managers are already factoring climate impacts into their management plans.
"It was encouraging to see that over half of the managers consider the effect of climate change in their conservation management strategies, not only by trying to resist its effect but also by dynamically adapting to climate change and acknowledging that it transforms ecosystems," said Professor Jon Brommer of the University of Turku.
The survey revealed striking regional differences. Managers in Mediterranean countries expressed greater concern than their counterparts in the Boreal north, where Finland lies. This makes intuitive sense: southern Europe is already experiencing more intense heat, drought, and ecosystem disruption. Managers who recognized their areas as vulnerable were also more likely to put adaptation measures in place.
The timing of the research proved especially relevant. Just as the study was released, the European Commission published new guidance specifically designed to help Natura 2000 sites strengthen their climate adaptation strategies, clarifying legal flexibilities and identifying practical steps managers can take.
Dr. Elie Gaget from the Tour du Valat research institute in France welcomed the guidance but noted that challenges remain. "Our study points out that many protected area managers are eager to learn more about the implementation of adaptation strategies," Gaget said. Still, she added, many flagged a lack of scientific knowledge and financial resources as barriers to putting effective measures in place.
The researchers argue this points to an urgent need for scientists to produce actionable, practical knowledge—and for increased funding and capacity-building to reach the people on the ground. What emerges from the data is a portrait of conservation professionals who are neither passive nor despairing. They are watching their landscapes change, seeking out new strategies, and asking for the tools to respond. In the Camargue and across Europe, the guardians of these wild places are learning to work with transformation rather than against it.