Summary
Different owners and managers develop common and differentiated management goals for their respective territories for developing sustainable nature and forestry; integrated management, according to the Flemish Integrated Management Criteria (ecology, economy, social and heritage dimension aspects).
Objectives
The nature management plan describes the most important values of an area for its ecological, social and economic function and makes well-founded choices about the important objectives for this area. The plan must also clarify which measures are required for this, and how and where they are implemented. One also wants to know whether the area under management is actually evolving in the right direction and, where necessary, adjusting management is needed. A nature management plan has a term of 24 years, unless determined otherwise when approved. In addition, the nature management plan is an administrative document. It is a contract between the government and the manager in which certain fees stand against certain commitments. The nature management plan is also a way to test whether the planned goals and measures are in accordance with policy preconditions, such as N2000 management plans, species protection programs or protected landscapes. This requires that the goals and measures are formulated unambiguously and according to an agreed terminology.
Public Goods
Problem description
In the region of Flanders forests and nature legally are managed through one type of plan – the nature management plan. This plan replaces all previous management plans:
• basic forest management plan;
• extended forest management plan;
• management plan for forest reserves;
• management plan for nature reserves;
• management plan for verges;
• management plan for parks.
The nature management plan is a voluntary contract under administrative law between the Flemish government and the manager(s) of nature and forests.
Advantages of the nature management plan:
• single approval procedure for all types of nature (forest, heath, open green space,…);
• transparent and organized;
• linked to subsidies;
• nature and forest management plan is valid for 24 years – evaluation every six years, no further administrative approvals needed;
• public bodies, NGO‘s and private owners use the same system and get equal opportunities;
• a nature management plan is a constructive tool for the long term planning of a plot of forest or nature.
