La Rete delle Aree Protette Alpine
ALPARC has just released its latest newsletter!
Inside, you'll find updates on ongoing projects, upcoming events, and news from Alpine protected areas.
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ALPARC is pleased to announce its upcoming international event TOGETHER for the ALPS, taking place from 15 to 18 September 2026 in Matrei in Osttirol (Austria), hosted by the National Park Hohe Tauern Tirol.
In the heart of the Alps, this event will bring together the ALPARC working groups and partners to connect, exchange experiences and strengthen our cooperation.
The programme will combine meetings and discussions within our thematic areas:
Biodiversity & Ecological Connectivity
Environmental Education
Regional Development & Visitor Management
In addition, workshops will take place within the framework of the CENTR'ALPS project Networking Nature Conservation.
Highlights of the programme include:
A seminar dedicated to glaciers and post-glacial ecosystems
Thematic excursions in the National Park Hohe Tauern
An Alpine buffet
A “Fair of Ideas” to share initiatives and inspiration
The event is hosted by the National Park Hohe Tauern Tirol and organised by ALPARC.
Further information and the detailed programme will follow shortly.
For now, please mark the dates in your calendar!
ALPARC is pleased to announce its upcoming international event TOGETHER for the ALPS, taking place from 15 to 18 September 2026 in Matrei in Osttirol (Austria), hosted by the National Park Hohe Tauern Tirol.
In the heart of the Alps, this event will bring together the ALPARC working groups and partners to connect, exchange experiences and strengthen our cooperation.
The programme will combine meetings and discussions within our thematic areas:
Biodiversity & Ecological Connectivity
Environmental Education
Regional Development & Visitor Management
In addition, workshops will take place within the framework of the CENTR'ALPS project Networking Nature Conservation.
Highlights of the programme include:
A seminar dedicated to glaciers and post-glacial ecosystems
Thematic excursions in the National Park Hohe Tauern
An Alpine buffet
A “Fair of Ideas” to share initiatives and inspiration
The event is hosted by the National Park Hohe Tauern Tirol and organised by ALPARC.
Further information and the detailed programme will follow shortly.
For now, please mark the dates in your calendar!
Within the project “Networking Nature Conservation”, ALPARC CENTR’ALPS has published two additional info brochures. The third and fourth brochures focus on the topics “Biodiversity Monitoring” and “Digital Tools for Park Management”.
The info brochures are currently available in German only and can be read or downloaded here: www.alparc.org/de/brochures-networking-nature-conservation
The final two info brochures will also be published in the coming months.
The info brochures provide a basis for a shared understanding of six key nature conservation topics. Each brochure highlights the current status and existing challenges, while also presenting innovative approaches and established best-practice examples to explore possible ways of addressing these challenges jointly.
All info brochures follow a common structure:
Project context & objectives
(Existing) programmes & projects
Innovative approaches
Networks and structures
Conclusions and outlook
The info brochures serve as a foundation for a shared understanding of current challenges in protected areas. Building on this, two more joint meetings will be organised in 2026, enabling experts from Alpine protected areas to exchange knowledge and network on the respective topics.
The info brochures are part of the project “Networking Nature Conservation”, which is funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with financial support from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) (Germany).
ALPARC CENTR’ALPS hat im Projekt „Naturschutz vernetzt“ zwei weitere Info-Broschüren veröffentlicht. Die dritte und vierte Broschüre widmen sich den Themen „Biodiversitätsmonitoring“ sowie „Digitale Werkzeuge für das Parkmanagement“.
Die Info-Broschüren sind derzeit ausschließlich in deutscher Sprache verfügbar und können hier gelesen oder heruntergeladen werden: www.alparc.org/de/brochures-networking-nature-conservation
Die beiden letzten Info-Broschüren werden ebenfalls in den nächsten Monaten veröffentlicht.
Die Info-Broschüren dienen als Grundlage für ein gemeinsames Verständnis von sechs zentralen Naturschutz-Themen. Dabei werden jeweils der Status Quo und die gegenwärtigen Herausforderungen genauer beleuchtet. Das Aufzeigen innovativer Lösungsansätze sowie bereits bestehender Best-Practice-Beispiele soll mögliche Wege aufzeigen, diese Herausforderungen gemeinsam anzugehen. Generelle sind die Info-Broschüren wie folgt strukturiert:
Projektkontext & Zielsetzung
(bestehende) Programme & Projekte
Innovative Ansätze
Netzwerke und Strukturen
Fazit und Ausblick
Die Info-Broschüren dienen als Basis für ein gemeinsames Verständnis der aktuellen Herausforderungen in den Schutzgebieten. Darauf aufbauend werden in 2026 gemeinsame Treffen organisiert, bei denen sich Expertinnen und Experten der alpinen Schutzgebiete zu den Themen austauschen und vernetzen können.
Die Info-Broschüren sind Teil des Projekts „Naturschutz vernetzt“, das durch das Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) mit Mitteln des Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Klimaschutz,Naturschutz und nukleare Sicherheit (BMUKN) (DE) gefördert wird.
Following the successful kick-off of our event series within the ALPARC CENTR’ALPS project “Networking Nature Conservation” at the end of 2025, ALPARC CENTR’ALPS will organise another expert exchange meeting for German-speaking protected areas at the end of April 2026.
This upcoming meeting will focus on the key topics “Digital Tools for Protected Area Management” and “Biodiversity Monitoring”. Both subjects play an increasingly important role in supporting effective conservation, data-based decision-making and cross-border cooperation among protected areas.
To encourage open exchange on current challenges, practical experiences and existing solutions, experts from protected areas are invited to participate in the meeting from 27 to 29 April 2026 at Naturpark Nagelfluhkette in the Allgäu region, Germany.
Further information and the registration link can be found in the invitation.
For any questions, please contact centralps@alparc.org.
The project ‘Networking Nature Conservation' is funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
Nach dem erfolgreichen Auftakt unserer Veranstaltungsreihe im Rahmen des ALPARC CENTR’ALPS Projekts „Naturschutz vernetzt“ Ende 2025 wird ALPARC CENTR’ALPS Ende April 2026 ein weiteres Austausch-Treffen für deutschsprachige Schutzgebiete organisieren.
Im Mittelpunkt des kommenden Treffens stehen die Themen „Digitale Tools für das Management von Schutzgebieten“ und „Biodiversitätsmonitoring“. Beide Themen gewinnen zunehmend an Bedeutung, um wirksamen Naturschutz, datenbasierte Entscheidungsfindung und die grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit zwischen Schutzgebieten zu unterstützen.
Um den offenen Austausch über aktuelle Herausforderungen, praktische Erfahrungen und bestehende Lösungsansätze zu fördern, sind Fach-Expertinnen und -Experten aus Schutzgebieten eingeladen, vom 27. bis 29. April 2026 im Naturpark Nagelfluhkette, Allgäu (Deutschland) an dem Treffen teilzunehmen.
Weitere Informationen sowie den Link zur Anmeldung entnehmen Sie bitte der Einladung.
Bei Fragen senden Sie gerne eine Nachricht an centralps@alparc.org.
Das Projekt „Naturschutz vernetzt“ wird durch das Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) mit Mitteln des Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Klimaschutz, Naturschutz und nukleare Sicherheit (BMUKN) gefördert.
Following the successful kick-off of our event series within the ALPARC CENTR’ALPS project “Networking Nature Conservation” at the end of 2025, ALPARC CENTR’ALPS will organise another expert exchange meeting for German-speaking protected areas at the end of April 2026.
This upcoming meeting will focus on the key topics “Digital Tools for Protected Area Management” and “Biodiversity Monitoring”. Both subjects play an increasingly important role in supporting effective conservation, data-based decision-making and cross-border cooperation among protected areas.
To encourage open exchange on current challenges, practical experiences and existing solutions, experts from protected areas are invited to participate in the meeting from 27 to 29 April 2026 at Naturpark Nagelfluhkette in the Allgäu region, Germany.
Further information and the registration link can be found in the invitation.
For any questions, please contact centralps@alparc.org.
The project ‘Networking Nature Conservation' is funded by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
In 2026, the international event Youth at the Top will take place once again. The 12th edition is scheduled for 16–17 July 2026 (or according to local conditions during the week of 13–19 July 2026).
Protected areas and nature protection associations and organisations across the Alps and the Carpathians are invited to take part in this cross-border event and to offer children and young people a meaningful experience in the mountains. Youth at the Top aims to bring participants closer to the Alpine environment, biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of the Alps, while fostering curiosity, awareness and responsibility for mountain landscapes.
As in previous years, all events will be connected by a shared theme. The theme for Youth at the Top 2026 is:
One Mountain – Many Ecosystems
Mountains are not uniform landscapes. From valley floors to high alpine zones, they are made up of many different ecosystems such as forests, alpine grasslands, wetlands, rocky habitats and freshwater systems. Each of these ecosystems has its own conditions, species and functions – yet they are closely connected and interdependent. Within each ecosystem, individual plant and animal species play specific roles. Some species are key to keeping an ecosystem in balance, while others are highly specialised and depend on very specific conditions to survive. By focusing on local species, participants can explore the needs of different species, how they interact with each other, and how changes in their habitat affect the entire ecosystem.
The theme allows for flexible implementation: activities can explore several different ecosystems within one mountain landscape, or they can focus in depth on a single ecosystem and its species, functions and challenges. Both approaches help participants understand how ecosystems work and why they are important for mountain biodiversity.
The theme also highlights the interaction between ecosystems. Mountain ecosystems do not exist in isolation – they form a connected ecological network along altitude gradients and across landscapes. Forests, meadows, wetlands and rocky areas act as stepping stones that allow species to move, adapt and survive, especially in the face of climate change. This introduces the concept of ecological connectivity and shows why protecting individual sites is not enough if connections between ecosystems are lost.
Humans are an integral part of mountain landscapes. Through land use, tourism, infrastructure and climate impacts, people influence ecosystems both positively and negatively. This theme encourages participants to reflect on human responsibility: how sustainable use, habitat protection and mindful behaviour can help keep ecosystems in balance and ensure that plant and animal species are protected for the future.
We look forward to another inspiring edition of Youth at the Top and to many local events across the mountain regions!
In July 2025, around 370 children and young people took part in local Youth at the Top events across the Alps and the Carpathians.
Under the shared theme “Our Footprints in the Alps”, participants explored how humans interact with mountain environments. Activities ranged from collecting litter and discussing its decomposition times, to visiting alpine pastures and learning about traditional mountain farming, as well as discovering historic mountain passes that have served as important transit routes for centuries – places where people have been leaving their footprints long before today.
The newly released Best-of Video captures the highlights of the 11th edition of Youth at the Top and offers inspiring insights into the diversity of events and experiences across the mountain regions.
Watch the video now and relive Youth at the Top 2025!
Youth at the Top is coordinated by ALPARC with financial support of the German Ministry for the Environment (BMUKN).
From 22 to 25 January, the 30th edition of the Memorial Danilo Re was celebrated in Slovenia. Hosted by Triglav National Park and jointly organized with ALPARC - The Alpine Network of Protected Areas, the event brought together more than 240 rangers and protected-area staff from Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, and Slovakia.
The Memorial officially began on Thursday with the traditional parade of teams. A total of 42 teams, led by the Junior Rangers of Triglav National Park and accompanied by brass music, marched through Kranjska Gora to the main square. There, the opening ceremony took place, featuring speeches by ALPARC President Dr. Peter Oggier, Tit Potočnik, Director of Triglav National Park, Alenka Smerkolj, Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, Henrika Zupan, Mayor of Kranjska Gora, and Dušan Vučko, President of the Council of the Triglav National Park Public Institution.
The ceremony also provided a solemn moment to remember all rangers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, in particular Danilo Re, in whose memory the Memorial was originally created, as well as Mauro Fissore, the founder of the Memorial Danilo Re. They were honoured with the song Signore delle Cime, performed by the Slovenian opera singer Andreja Geržina.
The evening continued with the traditional Alpine buffet, where specialties from across the Alpine region could be enjoyed – ranging from Upper Bavarian beer to tapenade from southern France. Alpine friendship and reunions were celebrated late into the evening.
On Friday, the teams trained for the upcoming competitions, while the ALPARC General Assembly took place in the morning. The ALPARC team presented the activities and projects of the past year, and members discussed the new work programme, future joint projects, and continued cooperation across the Alpine region.
In the afternoon, the Ranger Seminar offered a valuable exchange on the topic “Management of visitor flows in sensitive natural areas by Alpine rangers and available tools”. Various presentations from different protected areas showcased projects, challenges, and solutions related to visitor management. Once again, the discussions highlighted the great value of international exchange and the importance of cross-border cooperation in the Alps, where protected areas face very similar challenges. Presentations of the Ranger Seminar can be found here.
Saturday marked another highlight of the event: the competitions for the Danilo Re Trophy. In the four disciplines of ski mountaineering, giant slalom, cross-country skiing, and shooting, the 42 teams competed with great enthusiasm, ambition, and sportsmanship, cheered on by an enthusiastic audience.
In the evening, the gala dinner and award ceremony took place. In the overall ranking, two teams from Gran Paradiso National Park shared the podium with Aree Protette delle Alpi Marittime. All competition results can be found here.
For the first time, and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary, the Mauro Fissore Award was presented by Aree Protette delle Alpi Marittime. The award was given to Giuseppe Oddone, who has participated in the Memorial Danilo Re for many years and uniquely embodies dedication to nature conservation and Alpine friendship, both on and off the cross-country skiing track.
After the gala dinner, the Mauro Fissore Band took the stage, quickly filling the dance floor. With great music and atmosphere, participants danced and celebrated late into the night, once again living the spirit of Alpine friendship.
Once more, the unique character and exceptional atmosphere of the Memorial Danilo Re became evident! We are already very much looking forward to coming together again in 2027, when the Memorial will be hosted by Hohe Tauern National Park Carinthia (Austria).
Find all photos of the 30th Memorial Danilo Re here.
Copyright: © Archive of the Triglav National Park Public Institution
