Alicante, Spain | 15–16 December 2025
Workshop Overview
On 15 and 16 December 2025, the University of Alicante and SER-Europe hosted an international workshop focused on prioritising ecological restoration under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) and addressing some key technical aspects. The workshop brought together a small, geographically diverse group of experts from across Europe, with participation supported through dedicated funding to ensure balanced representation. Representatives from the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and Rural Development (MITECO) also contributed to the discussions.
Focus of Discussions
Discussions centred on how national and subnational authorities are preparing to implement Article 4 of the NRR.
Article 4 requires Member States to progressively restore terrestrial, coastal, and freshwater habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive that are not in good condition. Restoration measures must be implemented on at least 30% of such habitats by 2030, increasing to 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050, while also restoring additional areas to achieve at least 30% of the total favourable reference area (FRA) by 2030 and the full FRA by 2050. The article emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in habitat condition, including ecological connectivity and the quality and quantity of habitats needed for species protected under the Habitats and Birds Directives, and imposes a strict non-deterioration obligation once good condition is reached.
Member States differ in the way they plan to address additional priorities, including climate change adaptation, ecological connectivity, and wildfire risk, which are being integrated into these assessments. Participants also explored how this information can support temporal prioritisation and sequencing of actions within National Restoration Plans.
Methodologies and Governance
Participants compared current methodologies, identifying both strengths and inconsistencies across countries. Particular attention was given to the quality and comparability of habitat mapping, assessments of conservation status and favourable reference areas, and approaches to identifying areas for re-establishment of habitats. Discussions also addressed how restoration areas are allocated across subnational governance levels, alongside the importance of meaningful stakeholder participation and the need to identify and address harmful activities.
Outcomes and Next Steps
The workshop concluded with an exploration on the value of producing a shared output, such as a joint recommendations document or opinion piece, to be submitted to an international journal and shared with EU institutions and national authorities. This output would aim to summarise current approaches, provide recommendations for improving habitat mapping and governance arrangements, highlight the need for targeted funding, research, and capacity-building, and contribute to a more coherent and transparent methodological foundation for restoration planning and strategies across the European Union.
Through focused exchange and consensus-building, the workshop supported SER-Europe’s mission to strengthen science-based and coordinated ecological restoration under the Nature Restoration Regulation.
Banner Photo by Luca83, “Dibuixar l’espai. Campus Universitat d’Alacant” (2005), licensed under CC BY 3.0. Cropped and adapted for banner use.