Representatives of the European hunters' association FACE took part in the seminar "From Science to Action", devoted to the strategic planning of the Trans-European Nature Network (TEN-N). The seminar was held in Brussels in January 2026 as part of the EU-funded project NaturaConnect . FACE Senior Conservation Manager Cy Griffin joined policymakers, scientists and stakeholders to discuss how scientific evidence can be turned into practical action to strengthen Europe's ecological networks.

The two-day seminar focused on how the TEN-N concept, set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, could be implemented in a coherent, effective and realistic way across differing national and regional contexts. The discussions covered challenges of spatial planning, ecological connectivity, governance and implementation, stressing that policy targets must be grounded in sound data while remaining workable for land managers and local stakeholders.

FACE's involvement underlined how important it is to engage hunters and land managers early in the design of large-scale nature conservation and connectivity initiatives. FACE representatives emphasised that Europe's network of protected areas already derives considerable benefit from the conservation work carried out by the hunting community, including habitat management, biodiversity monitoring and the management of predator populations.

This contribution is documented in the FACE Biodiversity Manifesto, which shows that a significant share of the conservation projects supported by FACE are carried out in protected areas. FACE will continue to engage constructively in EU-level discussions on TEN-N, to ensure that conservation objectives build on existing good practice and are aligned with sustainable use, active management and long-term social acceptance across Europe's diverse rural environments.