CORINE Biotopes Inventory of Sites of International Importance for Nature Conservation in the EU and Finland

The CORINE biotopes (Version 2000) database is an inventory of major
nature sites. The database began under the CORINE Biotopes project to
enhance reliable and accessible information about vulnerable
ecosystems, habitats and species of important as background
information for Community environmental assessment. The original
documentation of the dataset and its compilation is available in the
following report: CORINE Biotypes - The design, compilation and use of
an inventory of sites of major importance for nature conservation in
the European Community
("http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/COR0-biotopes").
Also, the data collection is described in this
report: CORINE Biotopes Sites - Database Status and Perspectives
1995.
("http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/92-9167-054-5")

The database is a computerised inventory of sites of international
importance for nature conservation in the European Union (EU) (25
countries).

It represents the most comprehensive European source of such
information. Records identify the location and extent of over 7000
sites, with descriptions of important habitats, and biological species,
rationale for notification and protection status.

The inventory forms a layer of the European Union CORINE (Co-ordinated
Environmental Information in the European Community) geographical
information system (GIS) on the state of the environment of the EU,
co-ordinated by the European Environment Agency.