European private land conservation practitioners work to conserve land across varying landscapes including Mediterranean habitats in Italy and Portugal, the rivers of Germany, and the tablelands and mountains of Catalonia. Private and civic land conservation in Europe help accomplish the European Union’s biodiversity policy target, including the enlargement and management of protected natural areas in the EU-wide network Natura 2000. 

The European Land Conservation Network (ELCN) was created in 2017 to provide a community of practice for land conservationists across the continent. In 2020 the network became officially part of Eurosite. Eurosite is a platform for European site managers and land conservation practitioners to network, connect and exchange experience on the protection, restoration and stewardship of diverse, healthy and resilient ecosystems and natural spaces, both terrestrial and marine, across Europe. Eurosite – the European Land Conservation Network is currently coordinating the LIFE project “European Networks for Private Land Conservation” (LIFE ENPLC), which aims to further advance private land conservation together with the European Landowners Organization (ELO) in Europe. The project unites landowners and conservationists under one umbrella working on key topic areas of funding, knowledge, awareness, civic engagement and tools for private land conservation.  The project partners are Federatie Particulier Grondbezit, Aanspreekpunt Privaat Beheer – Natuur en Bos, Natuurpunt, Latvian Fund for Nature, Rewilding Portugal, EEML – Estonian Private Forest Union, NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland, Fondation François Sommer, Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura, CSOP – Czech Union for nature conservation, WWF Oasi, Montis – Associação de Conservação da Natureza, MIB – Latvian Forest Owners, Fundacion Artemisan, Associação Nacional de Proprietários Rurais Gestão Cinegética e Biodiversidade and Fundatia ADEPT.