Natura 2000 is the coherent network of protected nature areas in the European Union, consisting of Birds Directive and Habitats Directive areas. Natura 2000 areas are a combination of both and the protected natural monuments located therein. In total, this concerns more than 200 areas, three of which are marine areas in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the North Sea. Most of the Birds Directive areas were designated in the period 1986-2000. The Habitats Directive areas are designated with the designation of the relevant Natura 2000 areas. This file contains the boundaries of the definitively designated areas (state of affairs November 2018) and the boundaries in accordance with the draft decision of most other areas. This dataset contains the boundaries of two Habitats Directive areas (Krammer-Volkerak and Zoommeer) on land as reported to the European Commission. In this dataset, boundaries of underground limestone quarries have been added to a number of areas in South Limburg. In contrast to the regular Habitats Directive area, only the underground quarries in these areas are part of the Habitats Directive area.
