§1.1 Information and practical tools to support the screening and the appropriate assessments (AA)

Germany – Database and Information system of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) for appropriate assessments The necessary information on potential negative effects for nearly all project types and plans is provided in the information system FFH-VP- Info of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. Additionally, FFH-VP-Info hosts an extensive database of possible impacts and effects with respect to specific habitat types and species that can be used for screening and appropriate assessments. http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Page.jsp I. Objectives and functions of FFH-VP-Info The main objective of FFH-VP-Info is to function as a central platform providing information on impact factors that have to be considered for the screening (stage 1) and appropriate assessments (stage 2) of plans or projects, and to provide information on potential effects of impacts on specific habitats and species under the Habitats Directive and the Bird Directive. Access type No 1 (project types, plans, impact factors) intends to support proponents and project developers by providing a quick overview of all impact factors they have to take into account. Access type No 2 (habitats, species) allows in-depth enquiries on the specific effects of an impact factor on habitats or species that may be of concern for the project. Additional information includes a glossary, cited literature, data about mobility and home ranges of species. Overall, FFH-VP-Info aims at providing best scientific knowledge, facilitating expert assessments and their scrutiny by the permitting authorities. While the completeness and accuracy of the assessments is important to guarantee legal safety, the amount of time, financial and personal efforts used may be kept at a reasonable level on both sides by providing easy access to the relevant information. => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Page.jsp?name=ziel (introduction of FFH-VP-Info) II. Screening tool for project types and plans and their possible effects The screening tool provides data on about 140 project types assigned to 19 groups. This includes an estimation of possible relevance as regards 36 different impact factors. Relevance is indicated by numbers: 0 = normally not relevant (exceptions may apply) 1 = potentially relevant 2 = regularly/generally relevant A checklist and a report are available for each project type, with short individual explanations of the relevance ratings of impact factors. For each impact factor an explanatory page is linked to a short definition and detailed descriptions on the potential effects of the respective factor (see below). => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Page.jsp?name=projekttypen (introduction projects) => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Projekt.jsp?start (database projects) III. Database and datasheets to the habitats and the species of the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive This is the core of the information system. It provides detailed information on the sensitivity and potential effects of the impact factors for nearly all German — Habitats of Annex I Habitats Directive => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Lrt.jsp — Species of Annex II Habitats Directive => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Art.jsp — Bird species of Annex I and Article 4(2) Birds Directive => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Vog.jsp Once the subject is chosen, the relevance of the different impact factors with respect to a particular habitat or species is displayed in a table. The selection of a topic/effect leads to further information which is provided in 5 categories: 1. Sensitivity / possible effects (best scientific knowledge regarding sensitivity of habitats and species and about possible effects for all 36 impact factors); 2. Regeneration capacity (information on natural self-regeneration); 3. Established methods for assessing impacts (hints, references and comments on parameters, criteria or methods to conduct prognoses of impacts and effects); 4. Thresholds of significance and information for the screening (examples, orientation values, thresholds for relevant effects); 5. Thresholds of significance and advice for the appropriate assessment (examples, orientation values, thresholds for significant adverse effects). When selecting further the effects of an impact factor, one or more pages open up to display excerpts of scientific findings, expert knowledge and estimates contained in the database. There is a possibility to read or print selective or comprehensive reports of these data. The relevance ratings are based on scientific sources that have been evaluated and extracted. Where such sources are not available the ratings are suggestions for orientation, comparable to the relevance ratings for project types. The sources that have been used are marked with respect to their scientific quality and/or their specificity. => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Page.jsp?name=lebensraumarten (introduction habitats/species) IV. Definition and description of 36 impact factors Knowledge base on 36 impact factors assigned to 9 groups with specific definitions and detailed descriptions about possible effects on habitats and species. These impact factors are the common link between projects and habitats/species. They can also be read or printed as reports. => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Page.jsp?name=wirkfaktoren (introduction impact factors) => http://ffh-vp-info.de/FFHVP/Wirkfaktor.jsp (database impact factors) V. Additional information So far, additional information includes a bibliography of the literature cited in the system, a glossary and links containing e.g. a web mapping system of the German Natura 2000 sites. In future, the system may serve as a platform for presenting further information on the assessment of impacts and effects as far as it is appropriate on the federal level. Ireland – AA GeoTool – Information for screening and appropriate assessment AA GeoTool application supports the data gathering process during screening (stage 1) and the appropriate assessment (stage 2). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have worked together to develop the AA GeoTool. The application uses data directly from a web service provided by the NPWS. The data is regularly updated and the assessments are based on the most up-to-date information available. The AA GeoTool allows the user to select a point on the map and then search for SACs and SPAs within a defined distance/ upstream/ downstream of the point. The distance selected by the user is dependent on the level of potential environmental impact from a plan or project. The information gathered for each Natura 2000 site located within the selected distance range includes the following: 1. site type, e.g., SAC or SPA; 2. unique site code for the site; 3. site name; 4. distance of the site from the users selected starting point; 5. search direction selected by user; 6. list of qualifying interests for each site; 7. Url link to the conservation objectives for each site. Link to AA GeoTool: https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/AAGeoTool Further information on specific Natura 2000 Sites can be found on the NPWS website: http://www.epa.ie/terminalfour/AppropAssess/index.jsp and also https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/default Netherlands – Tools and guidance for appropriate assessment In the Netherlands a ‘route planner for consideration of protected nature in environmental permits’ is available (1), which helps in taking all the steps necessary in the process. This route planner is intended for the applicant of an environmental permit where a nature check is required. It is also intended for the competent authority involved in the processing of an application for an environmental permit, namely the municipality and the province. This route planner describes the procedural steps that are necessary if an assessment for protected species or protected Natura 2000 sites is part of the procedure for obtaining an environmental permit. The route planner helps the applicants and practitioners with questions such as ‘How do I know whether a nature assessment is required?’, ‘In which phase should the ecological data be available?’ and ‘How long does the procedure take?’. There is also a tool to predict possible impacts on species and habitat types in Natura 2000 sites (but not on the integrity of the site as such). The impact indicator ‘Natura 2000 – ecological preconditions and disruptive factors’ is a tool for developers, permit providers and plan makers who have to deal with activities in or near Natura 2000 areas. The effects indicator is an instrument with which possible harmful effects as a result of the activity and plans can be explored. The effects indicator provides information about the sensitivity of species and habitat types for the most common disturbing factors. This information is generic: to determine whether an activity is harmful in practice, further research must be undertaken. The web also contains guidance on significance (2), developed in 2010, which provides advice for the assessment of the significance of impacts on Natura 2000 sites. The starting point is that if, as a result of an intervention, the surface area of habitat, number of a species or quality of a habitat will be lower than referred to in the conservation objectives, then there may be significant consequences. However, the specific characteristics of the activity or the specific circumstances of the area can make that, despite the decrease, there are no significant consequences. Detailed analysis at the site level can therefore lead to a different conclusion, which is described in the guidelines. In addition, there is a specific guidance for projects with possible nitrogen effects. For N-deposition for the Netherlands a complex system has been developed that takes into account the cumulative impacts of (only) nitrogen from different sources. On national projects, a ‘permit data bank’ provides all relevant information, the decision and since 1.1.2017 also the complete appropriate assessments for permits related to the implementation of the Nature Conservation Act.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07