Protection of Natural Habitats within the Military Land, Experiences from U.S. Army, Europe

Summary

The U.S. Army in Europe has taken a proactive approach towards integrating environmental protection into all military activities. Military training areas have developed into lands of extremely high ecological value. They have become the most important retreat areas for threatened and endangered flora and fauna species. The abundance of species demonstrates that military land use and species protection are not mutually exclusive, but form a symbiotic relationship. Military training and the subsequent readiness of troops have highest priority. The integration of professional natural resources protection into military mission requirements assures continued existence of natural habitats while simultaneously providing classrooms for realistic and effective military training on a sustainable basis.