Guidelines for MAPping, ProtEcting, and Restoring Marine Ecosystems

Introduction

Healthy marine habitats are vital for maintaining marine biodiversity and providing ecosystem services like food supply and climate regulation. However, decades of intensive exploitation and poor management have led to the degradation of many European marine habitats, weakening larger ecosystems and reducing their resilience to climate change.

Nature Restoration Law

The EU has introduced the Nature Restoration Law to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystems, positioning itself as a global leader in addressing environmental crises. Recent research highlights that vast areas of EU marine habitats remain unmapped, with existing maps often lacking detailed biological data on species and communities.

Need for Comprehensive Guidelines

To address this, comprehensive guidelines are needed to systematize habitat information across EU marine regions and align efforts with directives like:

• Marine Strategy Framework Directive
• Habitats Directive
• EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030

LIFE-MAPPER Initiative

The LIFE-MAPPER initiative seeks to consolidate current knowledge and best practices in marine habitat mapping and restoration.

Objectives

1. Develop guidelines for mapping marine habitats, selecting suitable technologies, and conducting a cost/benefit analysis of mapping benthic habitat types.
2. Create methodologies to assess habitat quality, quantity, and connectivity, and identify reference conditions for both habitats and species.
3. Provide guidelines for selecting restoration methods, identifying knowledge gaps, and estimating costs for habitat restoration.
4. Develop a framework for prioritizing conservation and restoration actions to maximize ecological benefits and optimize resource allocation.

Expected Outcomes

LIFE-MAPPER will deliver its results through the LIFE MAPPER Manual and the Knowledge Platform. By working with EU Member States, the European Commission, and relevant agencies, LIFE-MAPPER will help advance the implementation of environmental directives, ensuring effective marine conservation and restoration across Europe.