European biodiversity and responsible tourism

Despite its small size, Europe has an amazing biodiversity. Much of this is due to the divergent climatic and topographic conditions that are found on the continent. Natural forces, in combination with the human interaction over the centuries, have created a complex mosaic of habitats and natural and semi-collapsible, each containing different plants and animals. Although the number of species cannot reach the other continents, many plants and animals in Europe are endemic and therefore unique on this continent. But Europe?s biodiversity is affected by a serious decline. The main pressures and factors underlying this decline are well known. The fundamental cause is the destruction, degradation and fragmentation of habitat due to the land use change. In the last 50 years, Europe has seen a significant conversion of the land, intensification of production systems, urban sprawl, infrastructure development and abandonment of traditional practices (often favourable to biodiversity).