LIFE highlights how ecosystems benefit people as well as wildlife

Healthy ecosystems are a valuable home for wildlife - and they help the people who live near them to flourish as well. That was the message from 5 LIFE projects at this year's Ecosystem Service Partnership (ESP) Europe Conference in Prague, Czechia, where they shared insights into their work, demonstrating how nature can benefit society and improve people's lives.

The conference was held between 18-22 May and attracted more than 650 visitors. It explored how ecosystems can be harnessed to reduce social inequalities, strengthen climate resilience and drive sustainable development.

"Restoring habitats such as wetlands can help to prevent flooding", LIFE Programme project monitor Ben Delbaere said in his keynote speech to the conference. "Ecosystem services and nature-based solutions add to the impact of LIFE projects working to conserve European species and habitats", he added.

This message was also highlighted by conference co-organiser LIFE One Nature. The project promotes awareness of ecosystem services provided by Natura 2000 sites in Czechia. These include supplying food and energy, improving air and water quality, or simply allowing space for learning, inspiration and recreation.

"Many ecosystem services provided by protected areas are still not sufficiently recognised in decision-making, which can limit support for conservation and restoration efforts," says Davina Vačkářová, project manager of LIFE One Nature. To address this, the project team has established a National Platform on Ecosystem Services, which provides cost-benefit data of Natura 2000 sites to help develop site management policies.

Several LIFE projects at the conference showcased measures to restore degraded habitats and boost ecosystem services. LIFE IMAGINE, for example, aimed to improve connectivity between Natura 2000 sites in the Umbria region of Italy using habitat quality and degradation indicators to inform policymaking. The LIFE Pilica and LIFE+ EKOROB projects reduced pollution in the Pilica river in Poland by planting natural vegetation to trap nitrogen and phosphorus. Not only did pollution fall by 38%, but there were wider societal benefits from reduced flood risks downstream.

LIFE BEEadapt provided an update on its work to place bee and insect pollination services at the centre of climate adaptation planning in Italy. The project demonstrates that pollination is not only an essential ecosystem service, but is also central to non-monetary values such as landscape identity, environmental stewardship practices and community well-being.

The LIFE projects attending ESP Europe Conference 2026 contribute to key EU frameworks, including the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Habitats Directive and the EU Adaptation Strategy. These projects demonstrate how the LIFE Programme actively supports the conference's core theme: nature-positive being equal to people-positive.