Work

Enhancing Natura 2000 habitat monitoring: A framework for biodiversity conservation assessment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Habitat monitoring and conservation assessment have gained importance in the EU, especially since the adoption of the Habitats Directive and the creation of the Natura 2000 network. Accurate reporting on habitat conservation status depends on detailed knowledge of habitat distribution. Advances in open-access biodiversity databases, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence have improved ecosystem mapping, while field surveys remain essential for understanding habitat dynamics.This study proposes a standardized framework for habitat mapping and monitoring, applied in the Latium region of Central Italy. A large dataset of georeferenced vegetation plots was collected through systematic fieldwork. Using expert system classification and clustering analysis, each plot was assigned to a habitat type defined in Annex I of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). These labeled plots were then used to train Habitat Distribution Models based on Random Forest algorithms, generating high-resolution habitat maps.The maps were refined through probability thresholding and validated using the Article 17 reporting dataset, primarily based on expert judgment. The methodology successfully identified 41 habitat types, including coastal, dune, grassland, rocky, and forest ecosystems. This approach provides a reproducible and scalable workflow that supports regional and national conservation reporting. It delivers robust spatial data on habitat distribution, contributing to more effective conservation strategies, improved long-term monitoring, and better-informed ecological restoration actions.

Source: Ecological Indicators

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114403