The European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER-Europe) plays a pivotal role at the intersection of ecological restoration science, practice and policy making. It has strongly contributed to shaping the policy landscape surrounding the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) and supporting its implementation at EU level and in many Member States.
SER-Europe’s work is primarily focused on the science–practitioner and science–policy interfaces. It translates knowledge into action for practitioners and policy implementors, developing best practice guidelines and tools that make high-quality science practicable on the ground. This ensures that restoration projects, whether terrestrial, freshwater, or marine, are evidence-based, effective, and consistent with global standards as well as the European and national policy frameworks.
At EU level, SER-Europe provides direct expert input to DG Environment and the European Environment Agency through its seats on the EU Biodiversity Platform Expert Group on Nature Restoration and the Marine Expert Group. Such close involvement allows SER-Europe to help develop concepts and guidelines on NRR that will steer Member States’ planning and implementation. The SER-Europe Legal Working Group (of 20+ leading environmental lawyers) plays a particularly important role by offering authoritative legal analysis of the NRR, supporting legal clarity. SER-Europe also contributes as an observer to the Expert Group on the Birds and Habitats Directives (NADEG), participates in Biodiversa+ Restoration Knowledge Hub, and collaborates closely with the European Environment Agency’s Nature Restoration team.
SER-Europe’s influence extends well beyond Brussels. Through its working groups, broad membership, and Board of Directors, SER-Europe also maintains active involvement in member-state expert groups, ensuring that national authorities receive coherent, science-based advice grounded in practical restoration experience.
In emerging and complex policy areas — especially marine restoration — SER-Europe enables leadership from an extensive set of experts. The Marine Restoration Working Group brings together over 75 marine restoration practitioners, experts and actors to develop shared standards, position papers, and practical guidance that directly informs EU marine biodiversity policy and help integrate marine ecosystems effectively into National Restoration Plans and marine strategies and plans In combination, these functions give SER-Europe a uniquely pivotal role: no other organisation simultaneously connects EU institutions, national authorities, legal experts, restoration scientists, and practitioners to ensure that the NRR is implemented in a way that is scientifically robust, legally sound, and operationally practical.
SER-Europe’s science/policy interfacing work is therefore central to turning the ambition of the NRR into meaningful restoration action across Europe.
Boris Barov & Sahar Stevenson-Jones