Driving European Nature Restoration

Key Findings from the Report – and Why They Matter

The report identifies several insights crucial for the success of upcoming NRPs:

Data and knowledge gaps: Many Member States still struggle with establishing robust ecological baselines, especially outside designated conservation zones (such as Natura 2000 areas) and for marine/freshwater ecosystems.
Capacity and coordination constraints: Institutional responsibilities remain unclear in many cases; ministries, agencies, and stakeholders often lack sufficient staffing or coordination mechanisms to deliver complex restoration planning.
Stakeholder engagement and communication: Engaging local actors, primary sectors (agriculture, forestry, fisheries), and the public remains a challenge. The report underlines the importance of communicating restoration benefits clearly.
Funding and policy alignment: Participants highlighted the need to align EU policy tools (e.g., the Common Agricultural Policy) with restoration objectives, ensuring long-term financing for implementation.
Opportunities for collaboration: The NRR opens pathways for cross-border ecosystem restoration, knowledge-sharing networks, and adaptive planning as restoration science evolves.

Why the Involvement of SER-Europe and the Knowledge Hub Matters

The dialogue on National Restoration Plans highlighted the importance of connecting policy ambitions with practical and scientific knowledge on ecological restoration. This is precisely where organisations like SER-Europe and structures like the BiodivRestore Knowledge Hub play a pivotal role.

Our Policy Lead, Kris Decleer, represented on behalf of SER-Europe and the Biodiversa Knowledge Hub, meaning that both perspectives were represented and linked: SER-Europe unites restoration practitioners, researchers, and policymakers across Europe, advocating for evidence-based practice and policy while ensuring that on-the-ground experiences, standards, and challenges inform European policy discussions. Complementing this, the BiodivRestore Knowledge Hub brings together leading scientists and experts to provide EU Member States with knowledge synthesis, guidance, and practical tools that translate scientific insights into actionable policy and planning.

By participating in both capacities, Kris acted as a bridge between the practitioner network and the scientific knowledge community — a connection essential for ensuring Europe’s National Restoration Plans are both ambitious and implementable. Aligning restoration policy goals with what is achievable and effective on the ground will be key to delivering meaningful ecological outcomes under the Nature Restoration Regulation.

Implications and Next Steps

What does this mean for the European restoration agenda?

For Member States preparing their NRPs: The dialogue report highlights the pressing need to plug data/knowledge gaps and invest in coordination and stakeholder engagement. Leveraging upcoming Knowledge Hub outputs — guidelines, policy briefs, and knowledge products — will be vital.
For practitioners and restoration communities: This is a moment to engage — offering expertise, sharing good practices, and feeding lessons into national planning processes.
For science-policy brokers and experts: Ensuring Knowledge Hub outputs effectively reach policy and practice will determine the impact of Europe’s restoration push.
For funders and policymakers: Long-term financing and cross-policy alignment (linking agriculture, climate, water, and biodiversity) will be essential to achieve restoration outcomes.

Final Thoughts

The release of the Dialogue on National Restoration Plans report marks an important step: Europe is moving from ambition to action in ecological restoration under the NRR. The voice of practitioners and experts — via SER-Europe — are be fundamental in shaping not just what gets planned, but how it is delivered, and exemplifies a bridging of worlds. Such voices will be indispensable in making Europe’s restoration ambitions a tangible reality.

If you are involved in restoration, biodiversity policy, or ecosystem planning in Europe, this report is a must-read — and SER-Europe will continue to be key partners in turning plans into action.