LIFE Living Natura 2000

In the heart of Bavaria, Germany, the Natura 2000 network—Europe’s largest coordinated network of protected areas—has long faced a challenge common across the continent: misunderstanding and negative perceptions that hinder effective conservation efforts. LIFE Living Natura 2000, a pioneering project launched to change this narrative, has been very successful in improving public awareness and acceptance of these vital natural spaces.

Natura 2000 is crucial for protecting Europe’s biodiversity and natural heritage, yet many in Bavaria lacked a clear understanding of its goals and benefits. This disconnect made cooperation with landowners, policymakers, and the wider public difficult, slowing down the implementation of conservation strategies. LIFE Living Natura 2000 aimed to reverse this through an extensive communication campaign designed to foster appreciation, encourage stakeholder collaboration, and present the network as a forward-looking, positive force for nature and society.

Central to the project was the innovative “It’s in my nature” communication concept. This inspired hundreds of outreach activities across Bavaria, involving music, culture, science, and sport personalities as ambassadors for Natura 2000. Two major ambassador campaigns saw familiar Bavarian faces promoting the network’s beauty and importance via 560 billboards reaching nearly five million people, plus the distribution of 100 000 postcards and engaging social media efforts that generated over 32 000 video views.

The project also looked beyond Bavaria’s borders, organising a five-day Natura 2000 Relay Run across protected sites in Austria and Czechia, which garnered extensive media coverage. The grand finale—a Natura 2000 summit in Brussels—drew 250 participants, raising the profile of the initiative across Germany and the EU.

Taking advantage of increased local tourism during the pandemic, the project produced hiking guides and a popular podcast series, Wilde Winkel. Bavaria’s Nature Podcast, attracting over 4 300 listeners. In total, more than 25 million individuals were reached through a wide range of communication channels, including 500 press articles and a widely viewed final project film that received 29 000 clicks on YouTube.

Thanks to LIFE Living Natura 2000, the network is no longer seen as a burden but as a cherished and forward-thinking part of Bavarian natural heritage—one that supports biodiversity, sustainable landscapes, and vibrant communities. This project offers a replicable model for enhancing public understanding and cooperation in protected area management across Europe, proving that with the right message and engagement, nature conservation can truly be “in our nature.”