With this slogan Bavarian Minister President Seehofer and Minister of the Environment Huber officially inaugurated the “Haus der Berge” (Mountain House) in Berchtesgaden, Germany on 24th May last.

The “Mountain House” is intended as the gateway to the Berchtesgaden National Park . Here you will find information and important advice not only to prepare your visit but also to enhance your experience of the protected area.

The “Mountain House” does not replace a visit to the national park, but is an excellent beginning or ending to hikes in this unique treasure – the only Alpine national park in Germany!

 The extraordinary architecture of the Mountain House, information and educational centre of the Berchtesgaden National Park, is based on a modern exhibition and an outdoor space, whose priority will be to raise awareness of the environment among children and teenagers.

Dr. Michael Vogel, Director of the National Park and president of the Alpine Network of Protected Areas (ALPARC) thus has at his disposal, after almost 10 years of planning and construction, one of the most excellent visitor centres in the Alpine protected areas, and Bavaria gains one more attraction.  

 For more information :

• Website Haus der Berge (in German only)

• Communiqué de presse du StMUG (in German only)

Firma della Convenzione transfrontaliera di cooperazione dei due parchi naturali “Veglia Devero “ (Piemonte) e “Landschaftspark Binntal “ (Vallese)

L'accordo sarà firmato ufficialmente alle ore 10.00 del mattino nalla Dillo Casa è alle ore 14.00 del pomeriggio nella villa Gentinetta a Varzo. E 'un contributo alla Giornata Europea dei Parchi , che si festeggia in Europa circa il 24 Maggio. 

Am 24. Mai 2013 eröffnet das neue Nationalpark-Zentrum "Haus der Berge" in Berchtesgaden.

Sie dürfen gespannt sein!

Eröffnung mit großem Bürgerfest am 24. Mai ab 14:00 Uhr.

Around 140 representatives of Protected Areas and other stakeholders acting in the Carpathian Region met at the 2nd Conference of the Carpathian Network of Protected Areas to exchange experience and ideas for future cooperation. The conference titled "Financing protected areas – about ecosystem services, financing mechanisms and green economy" was held in Javorina, Tatra National Park, Slovakia between 23-26 April 2013.

During the Conference several distinguished keynote speakers discussed a variety of perspectives on approaches and issues regarding to the network of protected areas, such as their governance, the science behind conservation and the role of Non-Governmental Organizations.

Amongst others, speakers included representatives from the European Commission, the DG Environment and the Indigenous Peoples' and Community Conserved Areas and Territories (ICCA ).

The program also included a presentation of the BioREGIO Carpathians project, which aims to enhance the integrated management of protected areas and natural assets of the Carpathian Mountains. Sustainable regional development and ecological connectivity were promoted as tools to overcome legal and ecological barriers while considering transboundary and transnational needs.

ALPARC was actively involved in the organization of this important event for the Protected areas of the Carpathians, not only in the preparation of the meeting but also with a key note speech and the organizations of two Workshops : one on project development (together with the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention) and one on the topic of ecological connectivity (together with EURAC).

Link to the conference homepage : http://www.carpathianparks.org/conference2013/

Les réserves naturelles seront de passage en Ile-de-France, du 16 au 19 avril 2013, à Louan-Provins (Seine-et-Marne) pour le 32ème Congrès.

Le site d'inscription en ligne est ouvert : http://congres-reserves-naturelles-de-france.fr

What municipalities can do for hermits and fire salamanders

The Alps possess an especially large and valuable diversity of plants and animals; this can only continue if habitats are preserved and remain connected to one another. Municipalities can contribute to this in many ways: CIPRA has produced a short film for municipal representatives showing how to make use of these opportunities.

The film “For hermits and fire salamanders – How municipalities connect habitats in the Alps” gives examples of how municipalities can contribute to maintaining the natural diversity of the Alps. Representatives from the Isère département in France, the Engadin in Switzerland and South Tyrol explain how they all contribute to connecting habitats. Each emphasises that it is not just nature that profits, but also people.

“I think the film is very relevant and clearly shows Alpine municipalities that taking account of landscapes and biodiversity improves their quality of life and sustainable development. The film successfully gets this core message across”, states Antonio Chiadò, vice-chairman of the “Alliance in the Alps” network of municipalities.

The 15-minute film is available in English, French, German, Italian and Slovenian as a free DVD or internet download. CIPRA will also be showing the film over the coming months to its target audience of municipal representatives at various events, including at the locations where the film was made.

The film forms part of the Ecological Continuum Initiative under which CIPRA, together with ALPARC (Alpine Network of Protected Areas) and ISCAR (International Scientific Committee for Alpine Research), is supporting municipalities and other players in their efforts to improve ecological networks in the Alps.

You can download the press release, photographs in high resoluction, the film or the trailor at the following link:
www.cipra.org/en/press/press-releases

For the 18th edition,

the Vanoise National Park hosted 34 teams of the whole alpine space for the Alpine park rangers’ competition

and thematic meeting in the charming family ski resort of Pralognan-la-Vanoise. 

 The Vacanciel centre was used for accommodation, catering and venue for the thematic events:

The ALPARC constitutive assembly – Together for the Alps,

The park staff’s thematic meeting with this year’s theme:

“From Monitoring to Local Education”

The results:

The winning team was Triglav National Park 1 (S)
Second place was taken by Berchtesgaden National Park (D).
In third place was Hohe Tauern/Tirol National Park (A).
The best mixed men’s and women’s team was the team from the Mercantour National Park (F) and all honour to the only women-only team from the Adamello Brenta Nature Park (I) !

Individual results:

Mountaineering ski was won by Benjamin Plumecocq / PN Vanoise (F)
Best female performance: Renate Biedermann / ALPARC (F)

Nordic skiing: Alberto Peracino / Gran Paradiso National Park (I)
Best female performance: Vajolet Mase, Adamello Brenta 1 Nature Park (I) 

Giant slalom : Alois Hohenwarter / Berchtesgaden National Park (D)
Best female performance : Mireille Coulon / Les Ecrins National Park (F)

Rifle shooting: Anton Stular / Triglav National Park 1 (S)
Best female performance: Alenka Hace / Triglav National Park (S) of the mixed cross-border team with the Prealpi Giulie Nature Park (I)

Once again a big thank you to the Vanoise team for the faultless organisation of this event. Next year will be the turn of the Adamello Brenta Natural Park!

Below you will find the team results, individual ranking, presentations from the thematic meeting and press release from the Vanoise National Park.

• Photos Site Danilo Re Memorial
• Site Facebook Danilo Re

 After 17 years of activity, ALPARC was formed on January 18 as association to formalize its network and further strengthen transalpine cooperation and international projects.

ALPARC includes all management bodies of protected areas in the perimeter of the Alpine Convention and is the largest federation of protected areas in the Alps. 

The constituent assembly was held on January 18, 2013 at Pralognan-la-Vanoise. It was attended by 34 protected areas founding members of the association. The two French alpine regions: Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur have also confirmed their commitment to ALPARC to support international cooperation of their protected areas. ALPARC counts since the beginning of its creation as an association a third of protected areas with personnel managers in their structure. Its members come from all Alpine countries.

ALPARC, the Alpine Network of Protected Areas, in fact cooperated since 1995 with all types of large protected areas (national parks, regional and nature reserves, biosphere reserves, ...) within the scope of the Alpine Convention to contribute to its implementation through concrete actions. The signatory countries of this international treaty are Austria, Germany, France, Italy, the Principalities of Liechtenstein and Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland.

ALPARC realizes since many years projects and activities about:
- The preservation of biodiversity and the establishment of an ecological continuum,
- Regional development and quality of life in alpine regions
- Environmental education and awareness raising of the Alpine Mountain.

 The new structure will further strengthen the implementation of major international projects on these topics.

The constituent assembly of ALPARC elected its Board of Directors, which consists of managers of protected areas in all Alpine countries. ALPARC is represented by its elected presidents: Michael Vogel, director of the National Park Berchtesgaden (D), Alain Brandeis, Director of the Mercantour National Park (F) and Wolfgang Platter, Director of the Stelvio National Park (I) 

Contact :
ALPARC / Maison des Parcs et de la Montagne / Chambéry
Mail: info@alparc.org
Tel : +33 (0)4 79 26 55 00

 The new association ALPARC will be created at January 18th 2013 during the meeting of the Danilo Re Memorial in the Vanoise National Park (F).

According to the decision of the 8th General Assembly of ALPARC in September 2012 in Poschiavo (CH), all alpine protected area managers are kindly invited to prepare their membership by initiating the necessary procedures in their respective institutions (presidents, councils, ministries,…) to be able to officially join the ALPARC association at next January 18th

This step is a very important one for ALPARC and its future. We need to give an official status to the Network in order to continue our common work for the Alps.

Please find enclosed the agenda of the Meeting. 

SWIFCOB 13 «La biodiversité, comprendre pour mieux agir»

18 janvier 2013, 09.15-17h, Université de Berne, UniS Schanzeneck

La Stratégie Biodiversité Suisse aspire, d’ici à 2020, à une société ayant suffisamment de connaissances sur la biodiversité pour être en mesure d’en prendre compte dans les décisions importantes.

Mais comment motiver les acteurs concernés d’intégrer la conservation et la promotion de la biodiversité dans leurs actes quotidiens ? Que faut-il savoir, et quel rôle jouent les valeurs, les images de la nature ou les possibilités de participation ? Ces questions seront abordées au congrès SWIFCOB 13 «La biodiversité, comprendre pour mieux agir» du Forum Biodiversité Suisse de la SCNAT à l’aide de théories modernes et d’exemples modèles implémentés. Nous vous invitons à vous inscrire pour une participation ou pour un stand à notre marché :

www.biodiversity.ch/f/events/swifcob/

SWIFCOB – Dialogue entre acteurs de la biodiversité

Le Swiss Forum on Conservation Biology SWIFCOB réunit les différents acteurs des sciences et de la société dans le domaine de la biodiversité. Le congrès est une plate-forme d’échange dédiée aux défis à relever en matière de biodiversité. En outre, SWIFCOB a pour vocation de susciter le débat autour de sujets d’actualité liés à cette thématique. Le Forum Biodiversité Suisse de l’Académie des sciences naturelles (SCNAT) organise chaque année le congrès avec le soutien et la collaboration de différents partenaires. 

 The Vanoise National Park (F) in collaboration with the city of Pralognan-la-Vanoise and ALPARC organises from Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th of January 2013 the 18th edition of the Danilo Re Memorial, dedicated to a ranger of Cuneo region who died during the exercise of its functions in 1995. The " Danilo Re Memorial" represents an important opportunity for all staff of alpine protected areas to meet.

More information at: http://www.danilo-re.net 

 Between the prestigious Riviera and the high mountains of the Mercantour, this mountainous territory, composed of karst plateaus, gorges, forests and fertile valleys, the Préalpes d'Azur is still relatively unknown. There is a rural culture reigning, around picturesque, alive and convivial villages.

This is one of the territories of France's richest biodiversity; a third of the French flora is present there, the result of thousands of years of interaction between man and nature and always closely linked to the maintenance of pastoral activity.

The crossing of the Mediterranean and Alpine influences, together with an area which was preserved of major developments, make it exceptional. Added to this no less than 2000 caves and 140 km of underground tunnels form the accessible part of the vast underground network, so the Préalpes d'Azur are a real water reserve for the Côte d'Azur.

Historically, people lived by agriculture, forestry and pastoralism. Later, when the perfume industry grows in Grasse, this area lives in the rhythm of fragrant plants culture.  

 Currently, agricultural activity is still present, although fragile; sheep, cows, goats graze the heath-and woodland.

Most villages were built in the Middle Ages and their particularity is the location in height, positioned on rocky headlands.

Witness of the adaptation of human habitations to the marked relief of the territory, they were built this way to ensure also a defensive position.

The silhouette of the ancient villages could be preserved and cultural heritage is considerable: chapel Gratemoine in Séranon, ruined village of Gréolières, medieval church of Mas, architecture with Russian influence in Thorenc etc. Napoleon I crossed the territory on his return from Elba, on the road that now bears his name. 

 The Préalpes d'Azur permit the practice of a whole range of outdoor activities (hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, paragliding, climbing, whitewater, caving, via ferrata, summer and winter activities in the stations of Audibergue and Gréolières-the-snow, making it a favorite destination for active visitors.

In March 2012, fulfilling the desire of 45 municipalities, 8 village communities (EPCI), the department of Alpes-Maritimes, the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, state, residents and professionals to work together; the territory has been awarded as Regional Nature Park.

He became the 48th Regional Nature Park of France and the 6th in the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, constituting a crucial part of ecological continuity from the Camargue to the Mercantour. 

 Fiche d'identité