Italy, as all the other European countries, is part of RETE NATURA 2000 which is a European ecological network.

It was established by directive 43/1992/CEE, known as the "Habitat" Directive. Its main aim is the conservation of wild species, flora and fauna and of natural and semi natural habitats.

The Habitat Directive identifies some habitats and some species that member states must protect to safeguard biodiversity.

The original idea of this European network is that nature does not stop at administrative boundaries, so in order to preserve it, an approach at international level is needed.

For this purpose member states have identified a set of areas where these species and habitats are found: Sites Of Community Interest (SCI)

These could be later classified both as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Areas of Special Protection (ASP), established by the Directive 2009/147/CE "Birds", which ensures the conservation of wild birds.

Liguria, characterized by a great biodiversity, thanks to its location and its morphology, belongs to three different biogeographical regions, of the nine areas recognized at European level: Mediterranean, Continental and Alpine.

Following the Habitat Directive, the region has identified the habitat and the species to safeguard in its territory; to this extent 126 SAC (26 are marine areas) and 7 ASP have been established.

Altogether the surface of the Ligurian network covers almost 140.000 hectares with its terrestrial SCI and with ASP. The 26 marine sites cover 7000 hectares out of a total of 147.000 hectares.