Back9th MSP Planners’ Forum meeting explores nature restoration in maritime spatial planning
Yesterday, on 22 October, VASAB and EUSBSR PA Spatial Planning hosted the 9th MSP Planners’ Forum meeting online, focusing on nature restoration and its integration into maritime spatial planning (MSP).
As always, the MSP Planners’ Forum brought together maritime spatial planning practitioners from across the Baltic Sea Region to exchange updates on national MSP developments, discuss pressing challenges and share national approaches to this meeting’s main topic – nature restoration.
The meeting featured three expert presentations exploring different aspects of nature restoration. David Lusseau (Biodiversa+) presented insights from Biodiversa+ projects: a practical roadmap for implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, highlighting the importance of spatial risk assessments, climate resilience and coordinated monitoring. Cecilia Nyman (PROTECT BALTIC) introduced new evidence and tools supporting marine protection and restoration in the Baltic Sea, and Magdalena Jezierska (NESBp) shared findings from a survey examining how nature conservation and restoration measures are currently addressed in national maritime spatial plans. The presentations were followed by an interactive discussion led by Kristīna Veidemane (SEABAS project platform), exploring opportunities to integrate nature restoration measures with mitigation measures identified through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of maritime spatial plans.
The meeting highlighted the importance of reliable environmental data, cross-sectoral cooperation and stronger links between maritime spatial planning and nature restoration policies to support healthier and more resilient marine ecosystems.
The MSP Planners’ Forum is a practical and informal platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, supporting ongoing national and regional MSP processes and the implementation of MSP policy among national-level practitioners.
Read more about the MSP Planners’ Forum and find the notes from previous meetings here.
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