The Alpine Network of Protected Areas
Wien, 05.10.2016 (UWD). Die europäischen Naturschutzregelungen Fauna-Flora-Habitat- und Vogelschutzrichtlinie (FFH- und VS-RL) sind Grundlage für die Einrichtung von mittlerweile mehr
als 270 Natura 2000-Gebieten in Österreich. Obwohl die Richtlinien seit 1995 in Österreich in Kraft sind, bestehen immer noch Vorurteile und Ängste, wenn es um die Ausweisung neuer
Gebiete und die Umsetzung von Projekten geht. Einerseits, weil Österreich in der Schutzgebietsausweisung seit Jahren zu den EU-Schlusslichtern zählt und dadurch Verunsicherung
besteht, andererseits, weil diverse Vorurteile – wie etwa wirtschaftliche Benachteiligung durch eine Schutzgebietsausweisung – kursieren. Der Umweltdachverband beauftragte daher im
Rahmen des von EU und Bund geförderten Gemeinschaftsprojekts „gREen.watch“ (Projektpartner BirdLife Österreich und WWF Österreich) die Technische Universität Wien (TU), den Zusammenhang zwischen Natura 2000 und Wirtschaft in einer umfassenden Studie zu erforschen.
The poster collection "Bilder der Innovation - Images de l'innovation 2016" highlights innovations in regional development in protected areas of the Alps. It presents 17 innovative approaches which were identified in the InnovAlps project (2015-2016) in national and regional/nature parks in France, Switzerland and Austria.
A focus lies on innovations in the InnovAlps pilot regions: the regional nature parks Tiroler Lech, Pfyn-Finges and the Baronnies provençales. Obviously, the posters only represent a tiny part of innovations in peripheral areas of the Alps. The collection is thus more of a starting point, providing lots of free space for new posters and opening a new way to communicate innovations in protected areas.
ALPARC has officially recognized the commitment of three Alpine nature park regions to innovation and sustainability in regional development. On the occasion of the InnovAlps final conference in Leuk-Susten (Valais, CH) on 29th and 30th of September, the Regional nature park Pfyn-Finges (CH), the Natural park region Tiroler Lech (AT) and the Regional natural park of the Baronnies provençales (FR) have been distinguished as the first pilot regions for innovative regional development.
25 participants from four Alpine countries attended the final conference in the nature park Pfyn-Finges. It was the last official event of the project. It provided the opportunity to review the lively exchanges that took place during the pilot region workshops and to present the project results.
The poster collection "Bilder der Innovation - Images de l'innovation 2016" has been presented during the final conference. It highlights innovations in regional development in protected areas of the Alps.
At this link you can find the documentation of the final conference of the InnovAlps project.
The complete press release is available for download below.
ALPARC is coordinating the project InnovAlps on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
Mardi 27 septembre 2016, Barbara Pompili a signé l’accord-cadre de coopération pour l’éducation à l’environnement et au développement durable entre le Ministère de l’Environnement, de l’Energie et de la Mer, les Réserves naturelles de France et le Ministère de l’Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche. Cet accord porte sur une collaboration renforcée entre ces institutions à l’échelle territoriale et nationale.
C’est dans la réserve naturelle nationale de Wavrans-sur-l’Aa, dans les Hauts-de-France, que l’accord-cadre a été signé le 27 septembre 2016 pour une période de trois ans. Cet accord vise à faciliter la mise en œuvre de la loi pour la reconquête de la biodiversité, de la nature et des paysages et de la Stratégie nationale pour la biodiversité, en invitant chacun des signataires à mettre en œuvre ses actions à son échelle.
En savoir plus : http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/Signature-d-un-accord-cadre-pour-l.html
Mountains 2016 is an international event aiming to promote sustainable development in mountains, based on science, knowledge, and innovation.It will be held from October 3rd 2016 to October 7th 2016 in Brangça, Portugal.
Mountains 2016 will combine two different events:
All details can be found on the website http://cimo.esa.ipb.pt/mountains2016/
![Alpine Nature 2030 - Creating [ecological] connectivity for generations to come](/media/k2/items/cache/dcb1882b5d2da82c4f1ecb54d9b9de6d_Generic.jpg)
Published by: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)
This publication highlights the results of the long-term and successful cooperation between different stakeholders for biodiversity conservation in Europe.
The Ministry has provided support for the project based work of ALPARC, the Platform Ecological Network of the Alpine Convention, relevant EU (European Union) projects under the Alpine Space Programme and the development of expert tools and methods for connectivity by means of research projects from the Federal Environment Ministry's departmental research plan.
“Alpine Nature Parks – Models for Change” is a conference for protected area staff, regional managers, and other actors and pioneers of Alpine regions who deal with or are interested in innovation in regional development. From September 28 to 30, the conference will provide the opportunity to exchange on innovative approaches and new ideas for regional development in Alpine rural areas. Which initiatives and projects can reconcile economic, social and ecological objectives, today and in the future, especially in parks?
The event wants to foster the exchange between Alpine regions and their actors, notably with regard to creative soultions. To the participants it should be an inspiration for economic and social change. Furthermore, the goal is to develop common tools for promoting change and innovation in these regions.
Programme & Registration
To ensure as many different exchanges as possible the event will be organised as a mix of plenary sessions and workshops. An important component will be the presentation of the results of the project InnovAlps, which will concentrate on the experiences and best practices of the pilot regions. Additionally, workshops for innovation and ideas will take place, where ideas and possibilities for future cooperation, to foster change and innovation in protected area regions, can be developed.
You find the detailed programme for download below (German, French and English). The conference language is German but translation to French and English is possible.
If you are interested in this event, please register by clicking on the button below (form in English language).
The InnovAlps project is part of the ALPARC thematic priority “regional development and quality of life”, which addresses directly the needs of rural areas in the Alps and their populations. The project is supported by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN.
You can find more information on the project here.
On the 4th of November 2016 the University of Geneva together with the University of Lausanne organizes in Leysin a lifelong learning day on the topic: " Mountains of Switzerland- Developement and the landscape" about the role of the landscape in mountains developement's projects.
Further information about registration and fees are available on this website.
https://www.unige.ch/formcont/montagne/
Two new members
We are glad to welcome 2 new members in our network this year: The Natural Park Ötztal, in Austria and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous region in Italy
Changes in management
In February 2016, the National Stelvio Park consortium (IT) that managed the park since October 1995, has been dissolved. Since the 1st of March, the park administrative supervision and management has been transferred to the related territories: Autonomous Province of Bolzano and of Trento and Lombardy region. A coordination committee, presided by Ugo Parolo, insures the unity of the park. Wolfgang Platter, director of the former consortium, has retired the 1st of September 2016. Involved for years in the network, he remains ALPARC Council Vice President until the next elections. We already wish him success in his personal projects.
In the French protected areas, several nominations are highlighted
Henriette Martinez, Major of Laragne-Montéglin (Hautes-Alpes), President of the Laragnais Community of Communes, is the new president of the Baronnies Provençales Regional Nature Park, an organisation she has supported since the beginning. This year she was also elected President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-D’azur Regional Nature Parks network and Vice President of the French Federation of Regional Nature Parks.
As for Eva Aliacar, she has assumed the position of Director of the National Nature Park of Vanoise last July. She is the second woman to manage the Park since its creation and replaces Emmanuel Michau.
Regarding the Nature Park of the Massif des Bauges, it is Jean-Luc Desbois, former deputy director who is now at its head.
3 French Alpine National Parks strenghten their cooperation
The presidents and directors of the 3 National Parks of the French Alps (Mercantour, Vanoise, Écrins) are involved to make a joint effort to settle technical cooperation and to look for financings. European financing search for joint actions is one of the most important point of this cooperation. Actions have already been pooled: as regards scientific research, "Lacs sentinelles" and "Alpages sentinelles" programmes that are great examples.
The third and last InnovAlps workshop took place on the 21st and 22nd of June 2016 in the Regional nature park Baronnies provençales. Situated between the Southern Alps and the Provence, the Baronnies massif is at the crossroads of Alpine and Provençal influences. The place is famous for its valuable and diversified local production, its open landscapes, its typical agricultural and built heritage and its geology and biodiversity.
In this vast territory (half of the villages has less than 100 inhabitants), the nature park administration spearheads many rural development initiatives and coordinates innovative actions in collaboration with a large network of local actors. Some of them, together with the park staff, had opportunity to express themselves during the workshop in June. They underlined the importance of the park’s development charter as a guiding principle for their actions in favour of a sustainable, economic and solidary development. In order to support such a development, the actors think that it is essential to relocate the local economy, based on local resources and production. The region needs to sustain and promote mountain agriculture through diversification and a quality approach. In the Baronnies region, agriculture is a key sector that employs 18% of the working force.
One innovative initiative in this perspective is a network of about fifty producers and buyers (artisans, restaurateur and small shops). The aim was to improve local products sales and to facilitate supply. In 2013, the network became institutionalised with the creation of the association “Short circuits in the Baronnies Provençales”. In cooperation with the park and the department, an online shop was created which facilitates the link between producers and buyers. It also allows improving logistics in this vast territory, with collect and pick-up locations. The Association members ensure the quality of their products by signing a common charter on top of their official certifications (AOP, IGP, AB, …).
The participants also discussed other projects of the park: the development of touristic offers that valorise the outstanding quality of the night sky, natural and cultural heritage education or the promotion of new work and life styles, such as co-working. Gilberte Bremond, deputy director of the park, underlined that the French Regional nature parks have the explicit mission to innovate, to “realise experimental or exemplary actions”. Innovation is in their DNA, so to say. The Swiss and Austrian participants benefitted from the experiences and were able to collect ideas for their own territories.
InnvAlps is coming to its end
The InnovAlps project is a search for innovative approaches and alternatives for development of protected area regions. Three pilot regions, all classified nature parks, have engaged in a transnational exchange on innovation. They have presented their projects in the fields of tourism, local production, environmental education and more generally governance and cooperation on regional level.
The last InnovAlps event will the final conference on September 29th and 30th, 2016, open to all interested persons. It will take place in the regional nature park Pfyn-Finges in the Valais (CH). Under the title « Alpine Nature Parks – Model for Change », the conference will present the results of the project. The event will also be the occasion to discuss further actions within the ALPARC network in the working field of regional development.
"Initially I thought it would have been boring... but in the end it was amazing!" Lilou and Kilian, France. Read more in the official press release below.
On 12th and 13th July, for the second edition of the operation, almost 700 participants (more than 500 young people and about 150 adults) from 8 countries of the Alps and the Carpathians together saw what it was like to live as a group and share exciting moments in the mountains: an event that will long remain in their memories. In all, 37 events took place in the Alpine Arc and 4 in the Carpathians.
Visit the project’s official page: www.youth-at-the-top.org
the Facebook page www.facebook.com/YATevent
and our Youtube channel.
The retrospective video of the 2016 edition of Youth at the Top will be available this autumn.
Our thanks go to all our partners and to the young participants for making this edition a success!
"Youth at the top" is a project coordinated by ALPARC, together with Educ’alpes in France, with the special financial support of the German Ministry for the Environment (BMUB).
This collective project emanates from the “Mountain Environmental Education in the Alpine Protected Areas” working group, whose driving aim is to develop links between young people and mountains.
