Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

59 zones, corresponding to 3 per cent of national territory, are classified as natural reserves. 27 per cent of national territory is covered by 66 Natura 2000 sites [ ] 146 Enlisting local authorities in nature protection Despite the absence of indigenous communities on its territory, Luxem- bourg has emphasized the close coor- dination and collaboration with local communities, and notably communes (municipalities) for the protection of nature. Accordingly, communes are entrusted with the mission of pro- moting the preservation of biological diversity, and the conservation and restoration of natural landscapes and natural coherence at a local level. A law passed in 2005, concern- ing the partnership between the inter-communal syndicates and the state, provides a legal framework for the protection of nature at local level and the state’s co-financing of the work carried out by the inter-com- munal syndicates in this field. Communes have thus joined together to form six inter-communal syndicates that are equipped with biological stations at Sicona-West, Sicona-Centre, SIAS, Naturparkark Öewersauer, Naturpark Our, and Naturpark Mëllerdall. These stations carry out the scientific work in their regions by running monitoring and assessment studies of the state of nature and the management of action plans. Activities organized by the stations such as Nature for People, and Fit by Nature, help to raise awareness among children and adults about the importance of nature and its benefits for people. These biological stations are therefore an essential tool to adapt Luxembourg’s biodiversity strategy to regional specificities. The presence of biological stations in the entire national territory is an objective of Luxembourg’s National Biodiversity Strategy. To this end, the plan to accelerate the membership of communes to the existing biological stations, inscribed in the first Nation- al Plan concerning the Protection of Nature, was very successful. Indeed, the national coverage of biological stations increased from 1,400 km² (50 per cent) in 2011 to 2,070 km² (80 per cent) in 2018. A national promotional campaign to further the enrolment of com- munes that are currently not part of inter-communal syndicates will be carried out to aim for total national coverage by 2021. Furthermore, a seventh biological station, Biologis- che Station Osten, is currently in the process of being created. D espite the limited surface of its territory (2,586 km²) and the absence of marine, coastal or mountain ecosystems, Luxembourg presents a great natural variability. There are two main geographical regions, distinguishable by their geology and climate: the Oesling in the north — which forms a plateau at an altitude of about 500m, with its forested hills cut by rivers and narrow valleys — and the more densely populated Gutland in the south. 84 per cent of the national territory consists of farmland and forest. Thus, despite its small surface, Luxembourg has a rich biodiversity. For example, 1,300 vascular plants have been recorded, and certain species’ populations are considered of particular importance in the region, such as the red kite, greater horseshoe bat and black stork. Luxembourg Steije Hillewaert Luxembourg