How Europe’s extractive industries are re‑thinking biodiversity in line with Natura 2000 guidance

First published – January 2025, updated March 2026

Europe’s extractive industries – mining, quarrying, and mineral extraction – sit at a complex intersection of economic necessity – where mineral extraction is essential to retain Europe’s industrial competitiveness and supply security –  and environmental responsibility. These sectors supply essential raw materials for construction, technology, and energy, yet their operations can disrupt habitats, fragment landscapes, and threaten biodiversity. The challenge is not simply reducing harm but designing extraction systems that actively contribute to ecosystem resilience.

Why this reconciliation matters

Europe’s biodiversity continues to decline, with habitat loss and land-use change among the biggest drivers. At the same time:

• Extractive industries supply essential materials for construction, infrastructure, and renewable technologies.
• EU frameworks such as the Birds and Habitats Directives, the Natura 2000 network (designated under the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive), and the Nature Restoration Regulation require industries to integrate biodiversity considerations into every stage of their operations.
• Public expectations for nature-positive business models are rising.

The European Commission’s guidance on Non‑Energy Mineral Extraction and Natura 2000 makes it clear that extraction is not automatically incompatible with Natura 2000, provided that projects are properly assessed, designed, and managed. This guidance has helped shape a new generation of extractive projects that aim not only to minimise harm but to deliver meaningful ecological benefits.

The Commission’s guidance sets out several principles that now underpin good practice across the sector:

• Extraction can be compatible with Natura 2000 when impacts are understood and managed.
• Appropriate Assessment is required where significant effects cannot be ruled out.
• Mitigation and compensation must be built into project design where necessary.
• Restoration and after‑use planning should be integrated from the earliest stages.
• Stakeholder engagement — including conservation authorities — is essential.

These principles have become the backbone of how responsible extractive operators approach biodiversity, particularly in or near Natura 2000 sites.

Natura 2000 case studies from across Europe

This blog draws on examples from the MINLAND collection of practical case studies (October 2019), IMA‑Europe’s Biodiversity Case Studies (November 2024), and CEMBUREAU’s biodiversity case studies (June 2024), alongside a wider set of Natura 2000 case studies from across Europe. Together, these sources show how extractive industries are increasingly integrating biodiversity considerations into planning, operations, and restoration.

Grensmaas / Border Meuse (Netherlands–Belgium): “Green for Gravel”

The Grensmaas project is one of Europe’s most ambitious examples of combining river restoration with gravel extraction. Along the River Meuse, operators removed embankments, widened the floodplain, and created new side channels and wetlands. Gravel extraction funded the restoration, while the restoration itself delivered flood protection, habitat creation, and landscape connectivity.

The project sits within and adjacent to Natura 2000 areas, and its design was shaped by ecological objectives from the outset. Today, the restored floodplain supports breeding birds, amphibians, and riparian plant communities, illustrating how extraction can finance and accelerate nature recovery.

Find out more:

Minland case studies booklet
Nature Based Solutions Initiative website
Nature After Minerals case study

Soto Pajares Quarry (Spain): Enhancing habitats in a Special Protection Area

The Soto Pajares limestone quarry, operated by CEMEX, lies within a Special Protection Area (SPA) designated under Natura 2000. The site has a Biodiversity Action Plan developed with conservation partners, focusing on steppe birds, raptors, and open‑habitat species.

Measures include creating nesting sites, managing vegetation to maintain open habitats, and monitoring bird populations. The quarry has become a recognised example of how active extraction sites can support species of European conservation concern when managed with ecological intent.

Find out more:
Minland case studies booklet
Aggregates Europe case study

Krumovgrad (Ada Tepe) Gold Mine (Bulgaria): Natura 2000 assessments and stakeholder engagement

The Ada Tepe gold mine in southern Bulgaria underwent extensive Natura 2000 assessments due to its proximity to protected habitats and species. The project incorporated structured engagement with local communities and NGOs detailed ecological surveys, hydrological modelling, avoidance of sensitive habitats and long-term biodiversity monitoring.

The mine is often cited as a case where rigorous assessment and stakeholder dialogue shaped a project that could proceed while respecting Natura 2000 requirements.

Lower Austria: Species protection integrated into extraction planning

In Lower Austria, extractive operators collaborated with conservation authorities to protect species such as sand lizards, amphibians, and rare orchids. Measures included adjusting extraction boundaries, creating amphibian ponds, and managing vegetation to maintain open, species‑rich habitats. These actions reflect the EC guidance’s emphasis on early assessment and tailored mitigation.

Find out more in the Minland case studies booklet

Garraf (Spain): Monitoring habitats within an active quarry

In the Garraf Natura 2000 area, LafargeHolcim Spain implemented a biodiversity monitoring and rating system developed with IUCN. The system allows quarry technicians to assess habitat quality and ecological trends, guiding adaptive management. This is a practical example of how ongoing monitoring can support long‑term ecological outcomes.

Find out more in the Aggregates Europe case study

Serra d’Aires e Candeeiros (Portugal): Extraction in a protected karst landscape

In this Natura 2000 site, limestone extraction was adapted to protect bat populations, cave ecosystems, and endemic flora. Seasonal restrictions, micro‑habitat protection, and karst‑mimicking restoration demonstrate how site‑specific ecological knowledge can shape extraction in sensitive landscapes.

Find out more in the Minland case studies booklet and on the LIFE public database

Northern Finland: Mining in Natura 2000 landscapes [8]

Several Finnish mining projects have undergone Natura 2000 assessments, leading to measures such as water management systems, habitat buffers, and long‑term ecological monitoring. These examples highlight how extraction can proceed in northern boreal ecosystems when guided by robust assessment and mitigation.