Good practice:

Land purchase policy by the Kampinos National Park

The Kampinoski National Park was established in 1959 as a result of a national strategic decision to protect valuable natural habitats. There were many settlements in its area (70 of them remain to this day). The park borders with Warsaw and is surrounded by communes with intensive development due to the proximity and accessibility of Warsaw. The park is located on the west side of Warsaw, where the pressure on open areas is very strong (the Warsaw metropolis is more developed on the west side). Therefore, expansion of free from built-up areas is crucial for sustainability and provision of ecosystem services by the park.
For 40 years, the park authorities have skilfully and systematically carried out a land purchase policy to enhance the integrity of the park, believing that this is the only way to protect nature from human interference. From the very beginning, the buyout process has been carried out with taking into account the rights of private owners and providing them with appropriate compensation. No compulsory measures are used and the whole process is voluntary, transparent, and participatory. In addition to the primary role of securing areas for nature, park authority strives to make area available to any visitors and educate people on civic responsibility and environmental awareness.

The land purchase is financed by the state. Over the last 10 years 92,372,000 PLN (almost 20,000,000 EUR) was spent to purchase 861 ha.
On average 5 employees participated in the process.
Park was involved in the LIFE + project, purchasing land for 5,568,860 EUR in 2011-2015.

• In the last 10 years, 861 ha of peri-urban open spaces have been secured
• In total 67 villages were subject to land redemption: in 6 villages less than 50%; in 44 villages 50%-95%; in 17 villages over 95%
• Ecological connections, including ecological corridors outside the Park, have been maintained for 3,340 ha.
• The land purchase process has enabled cooperation among 8 municipalities

The GP shows that protection of valuable natural areas is more effective when one institution responsible for it has adequate legislative tools that enable it in taking full responsibility and having an actual impact. By dividing each plan into smaller parts helps to achieve goals and to adapt to changing conditions (financing, ownership conflicts, social issues etc.).
The GP shows also that the participatory method of buyouts facilitates the process of negotiation in the long run, although it demands more time. Good and partner-like cooperation between park authorities and municipalities was crucial.
Moreover, the educational activities and the creation of places for recreation and tourism, helped to convince people about the added value of preserving PUOS.
Eventually, it is a good example of how the utilization of EU funds (e.g. through the LIFE programme) can contribute to the purchase of land relevant for the provision of the ecosystem services.