Natura 2000, the EU’s network of protected nature sites, covers more than 27,000 areas across Europe and spans about one fifth of the bloc’s land and one tenth of surrounding seas.
The network was created in 1992 under the EU’s Birds and Habitats Directives, the European Commission said in a statement on Thursday celebrating the achievement.
Natura 2000 protects around 1,200 rare and threatened species and 230 habitat types, it added.
The network provides “ecosystem services” — benefits people get from nature, such as fresh water, pollination and protection against floods and coastal erosion — worth about €200 billion to €300 billion a year, while supporting around 4.4 million jobs.
BioBlitz runs from 14 to 25 May
People are being invited to take part in the Natura 2000 Day BioBlitz, which runs from 14 May to 25 May, the Commission said.
Participants are asked to find and identify as many species as possible in a specific Natura 2000 area and record their observations.
An interactive map of Natura 2000 sites is available online.
