Important Plant Areas (IPAs) are the most important sites for wild plants and their habitats recognised under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 1771 IPAs have been identified in 16 countries within Europe. Signatory governments have committed to protecting these key sites. Many of Europe’s most threatened plant species and habitats are part of wetland and coastal ecosystems and their continued decline reflects a failure to implement bio-diversity conservation targets. Wetland habitats and species continue to be reported as one of the most rapidly declining and fragmented ecosystems in Europe, despite their many benefits for biodiversity conservation and provision of ecosystem services. They are under stress from:

• Drainage, dams and barrages • Waterborne pollution • Invasive species • Afforestation • Development • Peat extraction Many of the problems are trans-boundary in nature. Their conservation and restoration needs a much greater and more unified commitment from European countries. The conservation and restoration of water, wetlands and coastal habitats has many potential cost effective benefits both for biodiversity and also for its ecosystem services such as:

• Flooding management and defence • Coastal management and defence • Carbon storage Threatened water, wetland, coastal and dune habitats are protected in the EU under the Habitats Directive and through the Natura 2000 Network. The former recognises 17 inland water habitats, 12 mire bog and fen habitats, 49 coastal and dune habitats. The EU Water Framework Strategy specifically includes a requirement that all water bodies meet good ecological status by 2015, and that river basin management plans must be established by 2010. The Marine Framework Strategy requires similar bio-diversity commitments. In addition many wetland and coastal sites in Europe have been designated under the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

Important Plant Areas, Water & Wetlands

Threats to wetland & water environments

The destruction of water and wetland habitats by drainage for agriculture or other purposes, and extraction of groundwater continues, as do changes in water systems through the con-struction of dams and barrages. The construction of dams and barrages currently threatens 89 IPAs (30 at a high level).

Waterborne pollutants, such as nitrates from agriculture or industrial pollutants, contrib-ute to the decline of plant and algae species in wetland habitats. Eutrophication (nutrient pollution) currently threatens 185 IPAs (42 at a high level).

Peat extraction for horticulture is a threat to bog and wetland habitats throughout Europe. Peat extraction currently threatens 36 IPAs (4 at a high level). Invasives / non-native species are a particular and increasing threat for wetland habitats. Species such as Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, parrot’s feather, water hyacinth and New Zealand pygmy weed are spread easily through water sys-tems and can entirely take over ponds and river banks.

The effects of climate change are predicted to affect some wetland habitats due to changes in precipitation and the range of invasive species. However, restora-tion of wetlands and coastal habitats has the potential to form a positive part of climate change mitigation strategies.

Conservation status assessments of algae and some groups of aquatic plants are lacking at the national and European level which leads to an under-representation in European conservation legislation. IUCN are publishing a Euro-pean Red List which specifically includes aquatic plants (June 2011). There is no comprehensive European conservation assessment of algae species.

Key IPA statistics: • 309 IPAs contain threatened mire, bog and fen habitats • 301 IPAs contain inland water habitats • 121 IPAs contain coastal/saline habitats • 89 IPAs contain dune habitats. Poor water management practices threaten 261 IPAs, which is particu-larly significant in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Macedonia FYR, Bulgaria and an acute threat in Serbia.

Key Statistics about water & wetlands in Europe

• Europe has c.326 million km of coastline (Earthtrends, 2011). • Wetland habitats are consistently recorded as declining in EEA assess-

ments of Europe’s biodiversity; 5% of Europe’s total wetland was lost between 1990 and 2006 (EEA, 2010). In many countries this figure is much higher.

• Two thirds of coastal habitats and over half of coastal species recog-

nised under the EU Habitats Directive were found to be in unfavour-able conservation status (EEA 2009).

Case study: Important Stonewort and Algal Areas in the UK These two projects were aimed at identifying priority sites for these groups but also to develop practical methodologies for site identifi-cation using the available data. Both stoneworts and algae are poorly represented in European and Global policies, partly through a lack of European-level conservation assessments. These projects demonstrate that it is possible to identify IPAs for these groups using practical but scientifically robust methods. Publications on these projects are available via the Plantlife website(www.plantlife.org.uk).

Case study: Danube Parks (The Danube River Network of Protected Areas) The aim of this transnational project is to improve the coor-dination of nature conservation projects along the length of the Danube River, to promote sustainable and ecological management of the water systems, prevention and control of pollutants in the floodplains and basin, to promote public awareness and influence public policies. Find out more at www.interact-eu.net/danube_region_projects/danubeparks/327/7541

Fen Orchid Liparis loeselii This small green-flowered orchid of fens and dune systems is a Red Listed species in every European country of its range. It is also a species of the EU Habitats Directive, where it has an ‘unfavourable’ conservation status in all six of the Biogeographic Regions, with only Italy and Latvia recording ‘favourable’. The reasons for its decline are habitat loss and deterioration, and a lack of regular ground disturbance.

Sea Loch Egg Wrack Ascophyllum nodosum ecad mackayi This rare golden-brown seaweed is a free-floating species only found in a few sea lochs of Scotland and Ireland. The floating beds provide food and shelter for a range of coastal animals and birds. It is under threat from coastal development, pollution and the fragility of the remaining sites. It is recognised in the UK Biodi-versity Action Plan.

© Bob Gibbons / Plantlife

© www.first-nature.com

Species in focus:

Loch Duich © Bob Gibbons / Plantlife

River Danube © Tomas Kusik

Sources of information • Plantlife International, 2010, IPA online database www.plantlife-ipa.org/reports.asp • www.plantlife.org.uk A range of information on IPAs, IPA methodology & plant conservation. • European Environment Agency (EEA) 2010, Ten Messages for 2010: Coastal Ecosystems • European Environment Agency (EEA) 2010, Ten Messages for 2010: Freshwater Ecosystems. • EU Marine Framework Directive ec.europa.eu/environment/water/marine/directive_en.htm • EU Water Framework Directive ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/ • International Mire Conservation Group www.imcg.net/ • IUCN (The World Conservation Union), 2011 (June), European Red List for Vascular Plants • The RAMSAR Convention www.ramsar.org/ • Stewart, N. (2004), Important Stonewort Areas: an assessment of the best areas for stoneworts in the

United Kingdom. (summary) Plantlife International • Wetlands International www.wetlands.org/

Plantlife International Registered Office 14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1DX, UK Tel: +44 (0)1722 342730 Fax: +44 (0)1722 329035 enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk Speaking up for wild plants Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales Plantlife International - The Wild Plant Conservation Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, Charity Number: 1059559 Registered in Scotland, Charity Number: SC038951 Registered Company Number: 3166339. Registered in England and Wales

Our wild plants and flowers are wonderful, not just for the beauty they bring to our lives but for the vital role they play in supporting wildlife, cleaning our air and water and helping in the fight against climate change. Plantlife is the charity that is speaking up for wild plants. We work hard to protect wild plants on the ground and to build understanding of the vital role they play in everyone’s lives.

Detailed information is available for 1247 IPAs. Factsheets on individual IPAs are freely available online at: www.plantlife-ipa.org/reports.asp