Life After Glaciers / 2024-2025

 Life After Glacier

The scenario of a world and an Alpine arc without glaciers is quite possible. Global temperatures three to four degrees higher than today are sufficient for this to happen, and it is a scenario that can no longer be ignored. Glacier retreat is also an important phenomenon affecting terrestrial ecosystems, including those in the Alps and protected areas.

As a contribution to the International Year 2025 for the Conservation of Glaciers, this project develops a first assessment of the affected Alpine glaciers in protected areas and the possible responses in terms of management and protection of these areas of typical Alpine heritage, including the prospects for emerging ecosystems and the evolution of life in these Alpine environments.

The project will collect data on the ice areas of the protected areas and Alpine partners in order to assess the area, the rate of glacier retreat and the consequences in the short, medium and long term.

Emphasis will be placed on the evolution of life in these regions and on the crucial role of protected areas in observing phenomena, informing the public and protecting these 'new' areas that could be exposed to new uses.

Overall objective

Life After Glacier analyses the retreat of Alpine glaciers and the resulting ecological dynamics in Alpine protected areas and beyond.

Project Partners:

• ALPARC – the Alpine Network of Protected Areas (FR)

Countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland

Goals:

• Provide an overview of the current glacier situation in the Alpine area and its temporal evolution.
• Collection of observations of ecosystem changes and the influence of glacier retreat on biodiversity in protected areas.
• Proposal of guidelines for the protection of areas exposed to glacier retreat in protected areas.

Activities:

• Literature review  to collect and examine current situation of the glaciers at an alpine scale.
• Survey and interview to collect ongoing monitoring works for glaciers within the protected areas.
• Interview to collect observation in changes on biodiversity in the post-glacial areas.
• Mapping of changes in observed ice cover and consequences for biodiversity.
• Developing a methodology for the interoperability and comparability of different biodiversity monitoring schemes.
• Organization of an intenrational online workshop to share knowledge and exchange experiences on the impacts of glacier retreat on biodiversity in protected areas.

Target Groups:

• Alpine convention.
• Alpine protected areas
• Local, Regional, and National authorities

Project Duration: December 2024 - March 2025

 This project is co-funded by the French national fund for regional planning and development (CIMA / FNADT 2024)

Contact: Guido Plassmann guido.plassmann@alparc.org - Michele Guerini michele.guerini@alparc.org