Eurosite - the European Land Conservation Network

21/10/2026

Join us to discuss Conservation & Agriculture in sunny Seville ☀️
Registrations close this Thursday (22 October) at 12:00 CET!

From the future of extensive grazing under the new CAP to market incentives for farmers, our Conservation & Agriculture track at the 2026 Eurosite Annual Meeting from 2-4 November will explore how policy and markets can support nature-friendly farming.

🐏 The Future of Extensive Grazing in the New CAP
Moderated by Henk Zingstra (Eurosite, Wetlands International Europe)

How can the new Common Agricultural Policy support extensive grazing while delivering benefits for biodiversity, climate and rural communities? Explore the future of extensive grazing, the landscapes it sustains and the support farmers need to keep their businesses viable.

Featuring: Jan-Erik Petersen (European Environment Agency), Michele Nori (European Commission DG AGRI), Mireia Llorente (Fundación Entretantos and Platform for Extensive Livestock Farming and Grazing) and Laura Garcia (Fundación Global Nature).

🍅 Market Solutions to Support Nature-Positive Farming
Moderated by Anton Gazenbeek (Eurosite)

How can markets support the transition to nature-positive farming? Explore how farmers, NGOs and food companies are developing market solutions, from nature-friendly product labels to landscape-level financing and incentives for better natural resource management.

Featuring: Liene Brizga-Kalnina (Latvijas Dabas fonds), Patrick Barker (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and Anton Gazenbeek (Eurosite Agriculture, Biodiversity and Climate Working Group).

Explore the full programme and register to attend: https://www.eurosite.org/event/event-eurosite-annual-meeting-2026/

Join us in Seville and be part of the conversation on the future of nature-friendly farming and sustainable land management in Europe. Registrations close this Friday, 23 October!

15/10/2026

Let’s talk Conservation Finance in Seville!

We are excited to announce the sessions in our Conservation Finance track at the Eurosite Annual Meeting 2026, from 2-4 November.

💡 Conservation Finance 101
New to conservation finance, or looking to strengthen your approach? Explore corporate engagement, cost mitigation and the ABCs of developing compelling conservation finance proposals.

🚀 Nature Credits & Advanced Finance Tools
Explore nature credits, commercialising paludiculture and innovative financing models for fire resilience. Plus, an interactive session to help shape the Conservation Finance Accelerator!

🐬 Dolphin Tanks: where projects meet expert feedback
Six project teams will pitch their conservation finance ideas and get feedback from expert panels across three thematic tanks on Water, Paludiculture & post-restoration financing, and Nature credits.

Explore the full programme and register to attend: https://www.eurosite.org/event/event-eurosite-annual-meeting-2026/

Join us and be part of the conversation on the future of conservation finance in Europe!

Conservation finance workshops are supported by the LIFE programme: LIFE SUPER EU and LIFE BiodivCrEW.

13/10/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Odile Rodriguez de la Fuente as keynote speaker at the Eurosite Annual Meeting 2026!

Biologist, author and science communicator, Odile is known for her work inspiring a deeper connection with nature and raising awareness of the environmental challenges we face. We’re looking forward to hearing her perspective in Seville as we bring together people working to protect and restore nature across Europe.

⭐ Eurosite Annual Meeting
🗓️ 2-4 November 2026 | 🇪🇸 Seville, Spain

Over three days, we’ll exchange ideas and experiences on conservation finance, agriculture, nature restoration and biodiversity monitoring, with interactive workshops, discussions and a field visit to the the Doñana National Park.

Haven’t signed up yet? There’s still time to register!

Secure your spot: https://www.eurosite.org/event/event-eurosite-annual-meeting-2026/
🏷️ Eurosite Members: message us for your membership discount code.

We hope to see you in Seville!

A huge thank you to Fundación Biodiversidad, Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura, the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, The Conservation Finance Network, Biodiversity Meets Data and the EU LIFE Programme for making this event possible.

29/07/2026

🔍 Looking to enhance your skills in biodiversity governance, nature conservation and ecological restoration?

Applications are now open for the new European master's programme in Biodiversity Governance (BIOGOV). The programme starts this year, and will train 20 students from across the EU, contributing to a new generation of professionals specialised in the management of Natura 2000 sites and other protected areas.

Grounded in both European and global frameworks, the curriculum is in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the EU Nature Restoration Law, with modules ranging from ecological restoration and monitoring techniques to European environmental policies and stakeholder engagement.

The 12-month, 60 ECTS programme is free of charge and taught in English, combining online learning through the e-learning platform of the University of Tuscia with two months of field training in the Italian State Nature Reserves managed by the Carabinieri Forestali.

The BIOGOV Master’s is a proud milestone in our LIFE TraiN2K project, which aims to build a European training system for Natura 2000 professionals.

Interested in joining the 2026/2027 cohort? Apply by 17 August: https://sites.google.com/unitus.it/masterbiogov?usp=sharing

21/07/2026

New guidance for site managers: Managing wetlands in the face of climate change 🐦🌿🌊

Wetlands are critical for birds and biodiversity, but as our climate changes, the conditions that make these areas valuable are also changing. Areas that have supported bird populations in the past may not provide what they need in the future.

So how can wetland managers help these valuable ecosystems adapt?

"Best Practices for Site Managers: Managing wetlands in the face of climate change" provides practical guidance to support managers in understanding climate impacts and taking action to make wetlands more resilient.

Inside, you'll find guidance on:
🔄 Making decisions under climate uncertainty (the Resist–Accept–Direct framework)
💧 Practical measures for climate-resilient wetlands and waterbird habitats
📊 Long-term monitoring to catch early warning signs

Developed through the Biodiversa+ SPEAR project in collaboration with Wetlands International, this guide brings together scientific research and the practical experience of the Eurosite community of practice to help those managing natural areas make informed decisions in a changing climate.

Biodiversa+ SPEAR – Scenarios for Protecting European Avian Redistributions is an EU-funded project bringing together 15 partners from academia and conservation practice. The project explores how conservation areas, management approaches and decision-making tools can better support birds and wetlands as climate change reshapes ecosystems.

📖 Read the guide: https://www.eurosite.org/new-publication-managing-wetlands-in-the-face-of-climate-change/

16/06/2026

Interesting webinar from our friends at Eurosite - the European Land Conservation Network:

Walking, hiking, biking and sports apps are reshaping how people access and move through natural areas. In this webinar, hosted by Eurosite’s Nature & Recreation (NATREC) Working Group, landscape architect Mart Reiling (Track Landscapes) shares his expertise on digital mapping and the growing influence of these platforms on outdoor recreation. Drawing on hands-on experience, he offers nature managers practical insights into understanding and navigating the digital landscape of outdoor recreation. This session is particularly relevant for nature managers dealing with recreational pressure on their sites.

🗓️ When? Thursday, 25 June, from 11:00 to 12:00 CET
📍 Where? Online via Zoom.

16/06/2026

Have you registered for our Annual Meeting yet? There's only 2 weeks left to snag those Early Bird rates!

Whether you're a long-standing Eurosite member or a curious newcomer, all are warmly welcome to join us in Seville this November. 🍊

🗓️ When? 2-4 November 2026
📍 Where? La Galeria, Seville, Spain

Together, we'll explore some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities in European nature conservation from green finance and nature-friendly farming to biodiversity monitoring and much more.

Set in the inspiring Andalusian landscape, this year's convening combines forward-looking dialogue with practical networking, plus a special field visit to the beautiful Coto de Doñana.

🎟️ Early bird tickets are €50 cheaper — but only for 2 more weeks (until 30 June).

Learn more and check out the programme on our website: https://www.eurosite.org/event/event-eurosite-annual-meeting-2026/
Already convinced? Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eurosite-annual-meeting-2026-tickets-1987051963914?aff=oddtdtcreator

🏷️ Eurosite Members: Email us for your additional 20% member discount code.

Many thanks to our partners and funders for making this event possible: Fundación Biodiversidad, Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura, the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, The Conservation Finance Network, Biodiversity Meets Data and the LIFE Programme.

Join Europe's nature leaders in the heart of Andalusia for the Eurosite Annual Meeting in Seville, Spain, on 2-4 November 2026.

10/06/2026

🔥 Is fire the missing piece in sustainable landscapes?

Wildfires dominate headlines, but in many ecosystems, it is essential for health and regeneration. The real problem? Decades of fire suppression have created tinderbox conditions. Accumulated biomass, human infrastructure and climate change have turned what should be manageable fires into devastating wildfires.

The solution is counterintuitive: Harness fire as a tool — through silvopastoralism, controlled burns and traditional practices — to restore ecosystems, reduce wildfire risk and support biodiversity.

💡Join our webinar for an investigation with frank debate into:
🔹 Fire’s role in Mediterranean, pine and eucalyptus forests
🔹 Examples of successful fire management
🔹 Misconceptions, legal hurdles and carbon impacts
🔹 Balancing fire and human communities

🗓️ When? 25 June, 12:30 - 13:30 CET
📍 Where? Online via Zoom

Learn more & register here: https://www.eurosite.org/event/webinar-the-role-of-fire-in-shaping-sustainable-landscapes/

If you would like to use this webinar as stage for a pitch (3-5 minutes) about your work or project or initiative, let us know. We’ll find time at the beginning of the webinar to help you disseminate your message.

The International Network of Private Conservation on Agricultural Working Lands and Eurosite invite you to a webinar on rethinking fire’s role in conservation and climate action.

28/05/2026

After a gust of wind blew Henk’s hat into the water, it didn’t take long for Paul to roll up his trousers and wade in to retrieve it. Armed with a walking stick, he returned hat-in-hand to a round of applause.

This moment, on Day 3 of Eurosite’s Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Study Tour to Slovakia, captured the spirit of the week: people from across Europe forming connections through their shared dedication to protecting and restoring nature.

From 4-8 May 2026, conservation practitioners from ten European countries joined a Study Tour to explore wetlands, salt marshes and restored floodplains that demonstrate how healthy ecosystems can address climate change, biodiversity loss and water scarcity simultaneously.

We’re happy to share this article, originally published by the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, where we reflect on the Study Tour and the inspiring work of our Slovak hosts BROZ - ochranárske združenie & SOS/BirdLife Slovensko.

From 4-8 May 2026, conservation practitioners from ten European countries joined a Study Tour organized by Eurosite and hosted by Slovak partners BROZ and SOS/BirdLife Slovakia.

22/05/2026

This week, Eurosite and Latvijas Dabas fonds co-organised the GrassLIFE2 Study Tour across Latvia, exploring how semi-natural grasslands can be restored and maintained through long-term collaboration between farmers, conservationists and land managers. 🌾🐮🇱🇻

From 18–21 May, participants visited several nature-friendly farms, the Institute for Environmental Solutions (IES), SIA Sita Nature Park, and the Lubāns Wetland Nature Reserve. Along the way, they exchanged knowledge and experiences on rotational grazing, adaptive mowing, seed harvesting and other restoration approaches that are helping some of Europe’s richest grassland habitats recover and thrive.

A huge thank you to everyone who welcomed us so warmly and shared their knowledge, experience and landscapes throughout the week. These kinds of exchanges are invaluable for strengthening nature restoration efforts across Europe.