Evaluation of the impacts of the LIFE e-Natura2000.edu project
- Responsible management
- EUROPARC Federation
- EU
- 2020-2021
- www.europarc.org

The LIFE e-Natura 2000.edu project explores the potential of building new approaches and methods to improve knowledge and capacity amongst Natura 2000 site managers in both public and private land, across the EU. New ways of accessing information, learning, and connecting to peers needs to be made available and the cost and the environmental sustainability of traditional training should be addressed. The project looks at both the knowledge and skills required (what a manager needs to know and be able to do) and tackles, as far as possible within this project, methods that can influence the attitude of staff/persons involved in Natura 2000 management, thus promoting a competence-based approach.
The project examines the competencies needed by a range of actors to manage Natura 2000 sites more effectively. This preparatory action gives the opportunity to test innovative tools and ways of delivering capacity building for those involved in the management of Natura 2000 sites. A sample cohort of selected participants receive and test the tools, providing representative examples of the issues facing Natura 2000 site managers in different Member States.
The solution
- To develop a targeted set of mechanisms for competences gap analysis, such as a training needs analysis tool, and Natura 2000 capacity building framework amongst public and private Natura 2000 site managers across the European Union territory.
- To deliver a new and innovative and relevant toolbox of learning experiences, designed for the needs of all involved in N2000 management combining digital technology, media, and some traditional education methods (f2f workshops).
- To improve their capacities and competencies enabling Natura 2000 sites managers to feel confident and capable in implementing the Nature Directives in their locale, which will in turn, improve effectiveness in the management Natura 2000 sites.
Our contribution
Etifor is in charge of an external consultancy for the analysis and evaluation of the socioeconomic impacts of the LIFE e-Natura2000.edu project, with specific regard to the three core competence courses.
A baseline is set and many “target groups” are evaluated (participants, project partners, tutors, and experts) using online assessment tools (both ex-ante and ex-post) and carrying out qualitative interviews with representative samples of the different survey categories.
In collaboration with the project partnership, the assignment aims to produce various evaluation reports and to provide valid inputs for the publication of a scientific paper.