Financial support on forest management in NATURA 2000 areas

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4. Financial support on forest management in NATURA 2000 areas

4.1. Current financial instruments:

1. LIFE – NATURE program (until the end of 2006): it is administered by EC; support for big projects is foreseen; in 2005 3 projects in Lithuania were approved, but not for forests areas management.
2. Structural Funds (ERDF) through Single Programming Document: the measures for management plans of Lithuanian protected areas are foreseen; management plans on NATURA 2000 areas are being prepared by non-governmental organizations mainly.
3. Environmental Protection Support Program.
4. Municipalities' Special Environmental Protection Support Program.

4.2. New (perspective) financial instruments:

1. European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development - support for NATURA 2000 territories: it is being discussed to foresee the payments just for private forest owners or their associations; the payments consist of compensations in Natura 2000 sites and payments to support active management of the habitats; in case of support of active management the maximum support can be 0.1 Million EUR / project.
2. Draft LIFE+ regulation: one of the 3 components is called LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity; the priority is set for Nature 2000 network monitoring and management; the provisional annual budget for Lithuania may consist of about 2.5 million EUR.