NaturaConnect Findings Highlight the Importance of Ecological Connectivity
As the Horizon Europe NaturaConnect project reaches its conclusion, a number of its final outputs provide valuable insights for ongoing biodiversity initiatives across Europe. Among the most relevant for SafeNet is a new report exploring how ecological connectivity may be affected by future climate and land-use change scenarios.
The project’s recent report, Dynamics of Pan-European Connectivity Under Future Scenarios, examined how well Europe’s protected areas could remain connected under different climate and land-use futures. The analysis found that a strengthened Trans-European Nature Network (TEN-N) could substantially improve ecological connectivity, particularly for groups such as large carnivores and bats. It also identified priority corridors that remained important across multiple future scenarios, highlighting areas where conservation and restoration efforts may have the greatest long-term impact.
These findings resonate strongly with SafeNet’s work. As temperatures rise and environmental conditions continue to change, protecting individual sites alone may not be enough to safeguard biodiversity. Species often need connected landscapes and wildlife corridors that allow them to move between suitable habitats, including potential climate refugia and other areas of high conservation value.
This challenge is a key focus of SafeNet. Through biodiversity monitoring, modelling and scenario analysis, the project is investigating how Europe’s forest conservation network can become more resilient to future change. SafeNet is also exploring how improved connectivity can help reduce habitat fragmentation, support species movement, and strengthen the long-term resilience of forest ecosystems.
The NaturaConnect results provide further evidence that connectivity is not simply an added conservation benefit. It is increasingly recognised as a fundamental component of effective biodiversity protection in a changing climate.
Beyond these new findings, NaturaConnect has made available a wide range of resources, including policy briefs, datasets, connectivity tools and training materials through its Learning Platform. These resources may be of interest to researchers, practitioners and policymakers working on conservation planning and ecological connectivity across Europe.
For more information, visit the NaturaConnect website and explore the project’s final outputs and resources.