The Alpine Network of Protected Areas
With the aim to make a vast amount of data available to naturalists, tourists and other interested users online (e.g. trails, information on and observations of species), the Ecrins national park has developed open source tools since 2012. This makes them available to other protected areas. Why not also to you?
Biodiv’Ecrins is the most recent application. With this online portal, the national park has made accessible 500,000 observations of more than 4,000 species of the park’s flora and fauna, gathered since its creation in 1973. This atlas presents in a unique manner the region’s biodiversity. Rangers feed it with observations in real time via tablet. Behind the application stands the tool Geonature-Atlas, an open source application developed by the national park staff. Its open source character and its adaptability make it highly transferable. It is possible to feed the Atlas with any kind of database.
The approach grounds on the experience of the national park with Geotrek: Geotrek is a management and online valorisation tool of trail networks. It enables the users to manage a trail network comprehensively (signs, trail works) and valorize the touristic offer along itineraries and routes by the integration of local natural and cultural sites. Published under an open source licence, more than 40 protected areas and other organisations in France already use Geotrek. It is available in French, German, Italian and English and can easily be translated to other languages. For examples, see the web portals and smartphone applications of the Ecrins national park Rando Ecrins (hiking offer) and Grand Tour of the Ecrins (route tourism offer).
Please contact Camille Monchicourt if you are interested in these tools.
More about
Geonature-Atlas
the Geotrek user community
Other Geotrek sites to explore:
Maritimme Mercantour
PNR du Vercors
Parc national de la Vanoise
Parc national des Cévennes
Following an international seminar held in March 2016, the operational unit of ALPARC has been coordinating the drafting of a common strategy and awareness-raising tools to reduce impact on wildlife in the Alps.
The year 2016 has been marked by the launch of a working group within the ALPARC network covering the handling of mountain sports and outdoor activities in winter. On 3 and 4 March, an international seminar in the Massif des Bauges Natural Park brought together over 45 participants from different sectors and from throughout the Alps. They stressed the fundamental need to share methods and experiences and develop a common approach at an Alps-wide level.
A common communication strategy for large protected areas and beyond
A first step in this direction is the We respect Alpine Wildlife (WeWild) project coordinated by the operational unit of ALPARC. Over the next two years (2017-2018), this project aims to strengthen the links between the various initiatives at an Alpine level. Based on a collaborative approach with two workshops in 2017 and with a final conference in 2018, the project aims to develop a common communication strategy. It will provide the first tools for raising awareness, which will then be made available to a multitude of stakeholders in the Alps. Among these will be a website, which will also serve as a resource centre, and a “teaser” video clip drawing attention to the theme. WeWild will recruit members of the ALPARC working group – including several Alpine protected areas – as well as new players such as businesses in the “outdoor” sector.
Background information
Today, mountain sports and outdoor activities in winter are changing dramatically. Experts note an expansion of these activities in terms of time (throughout winter, all day) and space. Studies show that this shift has significant and detrimental effects on Alpine fauna, which is particularly vulnerable during the winter months. This problem requires a greater awareness among practitioners of these activities and among visitors to sensitive sites in order to enable a coexistence between man and wildlife.
The WeWild project has been selected as part of Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment's (BMUB) call for projects in 2016 with regard to special “environmental protection” postage stamps. Every two years, the Ministry supports projects proposed by environmental associations through the sale of a special postage stamp. As part of the German Presidency of the Alpine Convention 2015-2016, the 2016 edition of the stamp is called “The Alps – Diversity in Europe”.
In the frame of InnovAlps project and during this last year and a half, ALPARC has been committed in parks regional development in the Alps. During on-sites visits and workshops in three pilot regions, skills and experiences of local actors coming from parks, politics, tourism and local development were rallied and were able to exchange. InnovAlps has also presented a panel of initiatives of innovating local development, all characterized by novelty, risks-taking, valorization and cooperation between protected areas technical teams and other local actors. The project was closed by a final conference in the Regional Nature Park Pfyn-Finges (Switzerland) last September. In the final report, ALPARC has summarized project results and has formulated political recommendations for an improvement of the innovating capacity in the alpine parks territories.
On the basis of these results, ALPARC currently develop ideas or projects for a continuation in the “Regional development and life quality” focusing on, for instance, sustainable tourism or short circuits. In addition, ALPARC think about proceeding to work with an actor network of local development and enhance exchanges between alpine parks territories.
Acknowledgements
ALPARC is particularly thankful to the three pilot regions of InnovAlps project and their actors for their commitment, the interest they have shown in this project. ALPARC also thanks Austrian, Swiss, and French parks federations for their collaboration in this project. This project has been financed by Swiss federal office of the Environment.
More information
• www.alparc.org/innovalps
• Final report is available on request (in German). A synthesis will be available in the other Alpine languages beginning of 2017.
ALPARC proposes a 6-month internship at its office in Chambéry (France/Savoie)
Description of the Internship:
Required profile:
Please submit your application before 31st of May 2025 / 2 PM (CET) to the following address: info@alparc.org
Further details about the internship are available for download below (English and French)
ALPBIONET2030 project will enable ALPARC and the 14 other partners to refine the work already achieved on alpine ecological connectivity in these past years. The project objectives include the drawing up of strategic areas maps in and around the Alpine region (Strategic Alpine Connectivity Areas – SACA), the development of a strategy of wild fauna management in cooperation with various actors and a deepen work on mediation tools in order to answer to conflicts which could appear during the implementation of ecological network.
The project was officially launched at the occasion of the Kick off meeting in Vienna (Austria), the 1st and 2nd of last December. This event has gathered the project partners, numerous observers and different personality from alpine institutions. Thus, the General Secretary of the alpine Convention Mr. Markus Reiterer, the German focal point for alpine Convention, Mrs. Silvia Reppe, the President of the Ecological Network Platform of the alpine Convention, Mr. Thierry Boisseaux, among others, discussed about the importance of this project in an alpine and macro-regional context.
The recent publication « Alpine Nature 2030 – Creating [ecological] connectivity for generations to come » has marked the completion of an important preparation work, which pass now to a more operational phase, particularly through ALPBIONET2030 project. Protected areas from ALPARC network, which are present among partners, will play a key role in these activities, especially as pilot territories for the project results implementation.
For the second year between the 5th and 11th of December, the Alpine Convention organize the Reading mountains Festival. The festival is an occasion to celebrate the Alpine literature and to promote the cultural differences and similarities all along the Alps.
ALPARC supports the initiative "Reading Mountains" Festival by co- organizing an event in Chambéry - France. You are invited to take part in the event “Montagnes et Littérature” taking place from the 07th to the 11th December 2016 in Chambéry (FR)
The event is co-organised by Chambéry Municipality, the Chambéry Office Tourisme & Promotion, the Association Montanea & several other partners.
Download the detailed programme of the event “ Montagnes et Littérature” - Chambéry (FR)
We invite all of you to participate!
Visit The Alpine Convention Website
AlpBioNet 2030 Kick-off Meeting will take place the 1st and 2nd December 2016 in Vienna (Austria).
La 2ème réunion 2016 du Groupe de Suivi National du réseau ALPARC aura lieu dans le Parc naturel régional des Baronnies provençales le 30 Novembre 2016.
Tous les Directeurs et Directrices des Espaces Protégés Alpins Français membres du réseau sont conviés à la rencontre.
Pour plus d'information : info@alparc.org
The majority of the municipalities concerned voted this weekend against their participation in the new Adula National Park. Pro Natura regrets this negative vote and speaks of a wasted opportunity. However, the organisation is encouraged that broad support for the idea of sustainable development and respect for nature has been expressed and recognised.
The “Adula Park” option did not win a majority vote this weekend in the municipalities concerned. After sixteen years of work carried forward with discernment and tenacity, the “Adula Park” must be abandoned, at least in its present form. Pro Natura regrets this vote. “There was no majority in the communities involved. It’s a shame,” declares Silva Semadeni, president of Pro Natura. “But the public debates have, however, shown the emergence of a strong and active minority that wants a regional development that is sustainable and respectful of nature.” These voices will have to be heard in future development projects. Pro Natura hopes that the project for the “Adula Park” will serve as a model for other sustainable ideas to develop the region together – with nature and not against it.
Additional information:
Silva Semadeni, president of Pro Natura, tel: (+41) 079 385 53 57
Christian Bernasconi, Pro Natura Ticino, tel. (+41) 079 262 16 51
Jacqueline von Arx, Pro Natura Grisons, tel. (+41) 079 792 23 52
Nicolas Wüthrich, public information officer, (+41) 079 212 52 54, nicolas.wuthrich@pronatura.ch
This press release is also available in German, Italian and from www.pronatura.ch/medias.
Latest news from the initiative Youth at the top: a photographic retrospective 2016, compilation of texts and drawings that young participant(s) have sent to us through postcards, and finally the dates of 2017 and 2018 editions revealed !
Video clips and photos to be discovered
A short video clip expressing the atmosphere of the 2nd Edition of Youth at Top event has been released during the Alpweek and the Alpine Conference in Grassau (Germany), in October. See the video
The video -best of- invites you to discover all the others videos produced by the young participants or by their guides available on the ALPARC YouTube Channel. Furthermore, you are invited to see the numerous pictures taken by the participants during their experience: funny, touching, happy or contemplative. These pictures will certainly encourage you to take part in the adventure in 2017!
The photo galleries are available at https://www.facebook.com/YATevent
and in each « event » sheet on the official website http://www.youth-at-the-top.org/en/events .
Compilation of postcards sent by young participants
This year an ALPARC postcard dedicated to the initiative was created and served as a support to the expression of groups of young participants about their experiences: messages in any language, stories, impressions and sketches are compiled in this document online we invite you to read:
2017 and 2018 editions
The dates of the next two editions in 2017 and 2018 has been validated during the workshop of the International Working Group "Education for the mountain environment" in late October.
It is now:
• 11th July 2017
• 12th July 2018
A call for participation for the 2017 edition will be open in February 2017.
The initiative is supported by the German Ministry for the Environment and German Presidency of the Alpine Convention, and is coordinated by ALPARC, in partnership with Educ’Alpes in France.
Take about thirty people in charge of mountain environment education in the Alpine protected areas and draw them deep into an Alpine valley for 3 days, at an altitude of 1,800 m, in a refuge with neither Internet connection nor telephone network. Once there, encourage them to exchange and collaborate in a Workshop about their day-to-day work; sprinkle with curiosity, good humour and work in the open. What will result?
An explosive force, made up of creativity, a willingness to share skills and experiences, a desire to establish links, to face up to the challenges and priorities of mountain environment education, to valorise one’s experiences and learn from each other.
Such was the experience shared by about thirty participants from the 6 Alpine countries during the 4th “Mountain Environmental Education in the Alpine Protected Areas” International Workshop, which was held in the Refuge de Bayasse in the Mercantour National Park (France) from 18th to 20th October 2016.
The participants, most of whom are long-term members of the “Mountain Environmental Education” Working Group, had the opportunity for exchanging and sharing , but also for working together on various themes (e.g. “biophilia”, visitor centres, educational messages and the attitudes of young people towards parks…) and on collective projects currently in progress. Notably, one main event was devoted to the “Youth at the Top” initiative which originated from this group: the assessment of the 2016 edition was followed by reflection about improving and perpetuating the operation and preparing the editions to follow. Throughout the meeting the participants helped to finalise the “The Alps in my Backpack” teaching tool (a large format map of the Alps printed on fabric) which will have its first outings in the field in 2017.
A Common Quest: How to (re) establish Links between Young People and Nature
One of the guiding principles of some of the informal debates and workshops was the question as to how the link youth-nature can be (re) established .This question was approached from several angles: from the role played by the mountain environment educator and from the message they can carry, to the role of teachers and the structure of school curricula. “This subject has been a topic of discussion in the French education group for several years,” declared Isabelle Roux, the Head of the Educ’Alpes Network. “For our network, mountain education rests on 3 pillars: encouraging youngsters to enjoy contact with nature, favouring games and free times, and creating experiences from mountain slope”. A vision which ALPARC shares entirely.
Nature Interpretation
Thus the workshop was the opportunity for discovering and trying out innovative approaches in non-formal education. This was the case during the field workshop devoted to interpretation and led by Markus Blank of the Gesäuse National Park (Austria), representing the Interpret Europe association. Heritage interpretation is an approach where the goal is to provide a different way of seeing and a deeper understanding through first-hand experience of sites, objects or events linked to a particular heritage. It is very widespread in the United States and has been growing popular in Europe over the past few years.
The Results
The results of the meetings: a report, PowerPoints, shared resources, photos, etc. are being made available progressively as they become available on the ALPARC extranet, in the workspace devoted to this working group. www.alparc.org/extranet
A big thank you to those who took part, to all who helped to make the workshops so lively and notably the Mercantour National Park for their enthusiastic hosting!
The Workshop was organised by ALPARC in partnership with Educ’Alpes and the Mercantour National Park and was funded by the Principality of Monaco.
These meetings are held every two years: rendezvous in autumn 2018 in Italy or Slovenia!
Further information: http://www.mercantour.eu/index.php/accueil-eedd/actualites
With the support of the Principality of Monaco:
Organisation:
We are happy to announce that 3 project proposals put forward this year at the second call for projects in the EU Interreg –Alpine Space Programme have been selected. They are the YOUrALPS and ALPBIONET2030 projects, led by ALPARC, and the GaYA project, in which ALPARC is a partner and responsible for a Workpackage.
YOUrALPS - Educating Youth for the Alps: (re)connecting Youth and Mountain heritage for an inspiring future in the Alps (2016-2019)
ALPARC and their 12 partners are taking up the challenge involved in reinforcing mountain education and making young people more aware of the natural heritage and culture of the Alps in a durable way. Starting by structuring a network of education players in the Alps, the aim is to bring closer together the sectors of formal education (schools) and non-formal education (education players in the mountains, such as, for example, the protected areas), by promoting the inclusion of mountain environment education in educational programmes via the concept of an “Alpine School” which will be tested in many pilot sites. The project plans for active participation from both political decision makers and young inhabitants of the Alps.
GaYA - Governance and Youth in the Alps (2016-2018)
The project leader Agenzia di Sviluppo GAL Genovese/Italy and its 7 partners , among which ALPARC and the Massif des Bauges Nature Park, will unite their forces and skills during a period of 2 years in order to develop the governance of young people in the Alpine space .They will be supported by different pilot sites, both urban and rural , with the participation of groups of young people , in order to contribute to reinforcing the capacities of political decision-makers to involve the young, as citizens, in the decision making process.
These two projects confirm the importance and the potential of our thematic Pole devoted to mountain environment Education and young people. Even if it is technically not possible to involve all our members in such projects, either as partners or observers, we will take care to inform them and see that they benefit from the actions and results of these projects. This will be especially true for those taking part in our “Mountain Environment Education” workshop.
ALPBIONET2030 - Integrative Alpine Wildlife and Habitat Management for the Next Generation, (2016-2019)
ALPARC and their 14 partners are working together on ecological connectivity in the Alps and with the new Alpine Macro-region. The aim of this project is to improve on the already substantial work carried out on this theme in the past few years, notably by proposing a mapping of the areas strategic to connectivity in and around the Alpine arc, by developing a strategy for managing wildlife in tandem with various players and by working on mediation tools to respond to conflicts which may arise at the implementation of ecological networks.
We are happy to be starting work right away with all the partners and observers of each project. To find out more pending the setting up of Internet sites devoted to each project, you can see the presentation of the successful projects on the Alpine Space programme page.