Mreža zavarovanih območij v Alpah
On 7 November 1991 the leaders of the Alpine countries sat down to sign a pioneering agreement for the protection and sustainable development of the Alps: the Alpine Convention. This created a unique, legally binding sustainability instrument aimed at safeguarding the sensitive Alpine ecosystems, the regional cultural identities and heritage in the Alps now and for the future. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary, a celebratory video was produced with contributions from the Ministers and delegates from the Contracting Parties, Observer organisations, Infopoints and many other valuable partners from across the Alpine region. Kind and inspiring messages arrived from past and present members of the Alpine Convention family – these can be watched in the anniversary video.
In addition to this look back, the Permanent Committee also looks ahead to the future – with the launch of the new Alpine Convention video. Through beautiful and captivating scenery and a symphonic soundtrack composed specially for the video, the film introduces the Alpine Convention and the important work it does in the Alpine region. The new video is available on the YouTube channel of the Alpine Convention.
The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference has been launched on Monday, November 1 in Glasgow (United Kingdom), in the presence of many heads of state. In the worrying climate context pointed out by the IPCC last August, the objective of this annual conference is to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The event takes the form of a series of Conferences of the Parties (COP).
Under the Paris Agreement adopted at the COP21, countries submitted pledges called nationally determined contributions, to limit their greenhouse gas emissions. Under the framework of the Paris Agreement, each country is expected to submit enhanced nationally determined contributions every five years, to ratchet up ambition to mitigate climate change. The COP26 is the first time that parties are expected to commit to enhanced ambition since COP21. Ahead of the Conference, G20 leaders met in Rome the previous weekend and reaffirmed in unison the goal of limiting warming to +1.5°C above the pre-industrial era - the most ambitious cap in the Paris agreement - adding an ambition of carbon neutrality around mid-century and an end to subsidies for coal plants abroad.
UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch is running a new exhibition on sustainable provision of life quality in the Entlebuch UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, until March 2022.
What constitutes a high quality of life? What aspects are important for a high quality of life? And how can a high quality of life and sustainability be reconciled?
The exhibition "We love Äntlibuech" deals with these questions and focuses on the Entlebuch and its inhabitants. The exhibition is based on the research project "Sustainable quality of life in parks of national importance" by the University of Bern. This showed that the average quality of life in the Entlebuch is very high - even higher than in other regions of Switzerland. The research results serve as the basis for a search for clues: Why is the quality of life in the Entlebuch particularly high? Which aspects of life make the quality of life particularly high? And what about the sustainability of this high quality of life: can our grandchildren still enjoy the same high quality of life - or are we living beyond our means?
The exhibition will not provide definitive answers. It is intended to encourage visitors to think about their own quality of life: What makes it so? How long will it last? How satisfied am I with important aspects? So it is also about taking a critical look at one's own life. Here and there, the exhibition will offer ways and alternatives to well-rehearsed patterns of life that suit some, but not others. The aim of the exhibition is to become aware of the various aspects of one's own quality of life and to dare to take a step here and there towards a more sustainable quality of life.
Landscape in Switzerland is under continuous pressure due to demographic change, mobility, intensive agriculture and tourism growth. Endangered species amount for 36% of the assessed plant animal and fungus species. Consequently, the Swiss tourism branche should have a resource protecting attitude towards landscape. Discussions regarding protection and long term use of scarce resources need to be objective and on a high quality level. However, large parts of the tourism branche still perceive the conservation of landscape quality as an obstacle to development, limiting the region’s potential. The Corona pandemic led to an breaking of global tourist flows and high-quality inland tourism might become highly important for Swiss tourism providers. Hence, the promotion of landscapes’ attractiveness must be understood as an impulse measure for stimulating Swiss tourism on different levels. The study, commissioned by the Federal Office for the Environment and conducted by Schmid Pelli & Partner, aims at delivering a constructive input for the cooperation among landscape experts and tourism stakeholders in order to increase consciousness on the quality of landscape as a change and development potential for Swiss tourism.
The 7th edition of the “Youth at the Top” project took place from 8 to 9 July 2021. For this international event, coordinated by ALPARC, about 500 young people meet every year for a two days hike and an overnight in the mountains. The local events are organized simultaneously in numerous protected areas across the Alps and Carpathians. The project offers young people between the ages of 5 and 25 the opportunity to reconnect with their natural and cultural heritage. It is also an opportunity to remind them of the bond that they share with their neighboring countries and of the importance of protecting the sensitive mountainous region that they inhabit.
Despite the restrictions imposed by Covid 19, the 2021 edition was a real success with 36 local events in 9 different countries. On July 8th and 9th, many young people from France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia and Romania took part in a mountain hike, followed by a night in a tent, in a hut or even -for most groups- under the stars.
For this edition, the organizers were invited to schedule various activities on the theme of "Local Food". That theme was particularly well received by the young people: milking the goats, visiting a cheese factory, blind tasting, outdoor cooking... the activities around this common theme were numerous and diverse. Although the local dishes were very well received, this topic was above all an opportunity to draw the attention of young people to current issues: the decline of biodiversity and climate change are closely linked to Western consumption and production patterns: intensive agriculture, excessive packaging and transport lead to poor air quality, excessive pesticide use and waste problems. Ironically, we depend on the same nature and environment to feed ourselves. The decrease in pollinators is a living proof of this. Some of these impacts and threats have been addressed by the organizers through pedagogical activities, that should remind the youngsters of the importance of protecting and preserving our nature. Each group was also invited to illustrate a local specialty and an international recipe book with the drawings of the young people is currently under preparation.
Despite bad weather conditions in some part of the Alps, the event was -once again- a real success, and the young people and the organizers are already looking forward to the 2022 edition!
PHOTO: Babia Góra National Park
On September 4th 2021, the integrale reserve "Roche Grande" was established in the heart of the Mercantour National Park (France). The challenge: to study ecological processes without any human intervention and therefore in free evolution. The territory of this reserve extends over an area of about 500 ha and presents a vast set of lawns on limestone, cliffs and scree as well as some forest habitats. No human activity or presence is now allowed, so as to observe natural evolution. This creation of an integral reserve is only the third in France and is the result of collaborative work between the municipality of Entraunes, the National Forestry Office (NFO), the Communauté de communes Alpes d'Azur and the Mercantour National Park.
Ultimately, the goal is to have scientific references on the response of natural habitats and species, in a context of climate change. This data will make it possible to define evolutionary trajectories and assess the resilience of lawn systems and the animals that live there in the face of long- and short-term climatic events, such as droughts or extreme weather events. This reserve will be a laboratory site for innovative scientific work carried out by the National Park, the NFO and their partners.
Original statement (in French): http://www.mercantour-parcnational.fr/fr/actualites/une-reserve-integrale-dans-le-coeur-du-parc-national-du-mercantour
Photo:
From September 16th to 18th 2021, ALPARC celebrated its 25th anniversary with a reunion of representatives of Protected Areas from all alpine countries. However, the network is not the only one to have marked a step this year. Several of its members have good reasons to celebrate the year 2021:
In September 2011, the Parc naturel régional du massif des Bauges obtained the Geopark label. At this time, itt was only the third one in France.
In 2001, the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn was inscribed as Unesco World Heritage site. The site contains the Aletsch glacier – the largest glacier in Europe.
The very same year, in September, the Biosphäre Entlebuch became the second UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Switzerland, after the Swiss National Park.
On May 6th 1995, the Parc naturel régional de Chartreuse (France) was created. In 2008 the park was extended to 8 additional communes.
On 30 September 2021, the Parco Prealpi Giulie was established in Italy. To celebrate this anniversary, an event has been held in the council room of the municipality of Venzone to retrace the fundamental stages of the park's history and talk about the challenges for the near future. Find out more.
On 7 décembre 1995, an other alpine nature park was created in France, with the establishment of the Parc naturel régional du massif des Bauges.
In October 1971, the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern (Austria) was set up with the siging of the Heiligenblut Agreement by the provincial governors of Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia. 50 years later, several events are organized to celebrate this milestone, such as the Anniversary hike scheduled on October 26th 2001.
Despite the Heiligenblut Agreement from 1971, it still took decades for the National Park as we know it today to see the light of day. In 1981 Carinthia was the first federal state to set up a National Park, in 1984 Salzburg followed and in 1992, the National Park legislation then came into effect in Tyrol.
In 1961, after many years of effort, the protection of the Triglav Lakes Valley was renewed on a permanent basis and somewhat enlarged, embracing around 20 km². It is only at that time that the protected area was officially designated as Triglavski narodni park. In 1981, Triglav National Park was officially established in the modern form. A rearrangement was achieved, and the park was given a new concept and expanded to 838 km². In 2021, the park has been carrying out many events to celebrate this anniversary.
The history of Alpine Protected Areas is so rich that it would be impossible to be exhaustive. However, from the youngest to the oldest, ALPARC would like to congratulate all of them for their endless work and their involvement through the years for a better protection for the Alps. The Park National Swiss and its more than 100 years of existence are one of the best proof of this.
The next edition of the Danilo Re Memorial – the trophy of the Alpine Protected Areas – will take place on January 27th-30th 2022, within the Binntal Nature Park, Switzerland. As usual, the event will host the ALPARC General Assembly to which all the ALPARC members are invited to participate. Registration is open now and all those working in Alpine Protected Areas are invited to fill in the online form to register.
For many years now, the annual Danilo Re Meet has provided a major opportunity for all those working in Alpine Protected Areas to get acquainted with one another, in particular those in the field, carrying out surveillance, facilitation and fact-finding missions. The event comprises a sports competition (known as “The Danilo Re Trophy”), a theme-based seminar and a range of other activities for all participants to enjoy together.
The program of this 26th edition can be found on the website of the event: https://alparc.org/danilore/en/2022/program
PHOTO: Danilo Re Memorial in Berchtesgaden National Park © Feil Johann
Publication coordonated by ALPARC and published by the Alpine Convention
From 16 to 18 September, some sixty representatives of Alpine Protected Areas from all alpine countries celebrated the 25th anniversary of the ALPARC network in Le Monêtier-les-Bains (France).
Founded in 1995, the Alpine Network of Protected Areas has been involved for a quarter of a century in the implementation of the protocol "Nature protection and landscape maintenance" of the Alpine Convention. Due to the Covid19 pandemic, it was therefore with a little delay that the actors of the network celebrated this anniversary within the Ecrins National Park, host of the ALPARC premises at the very beginning of the network. The joy of finally meeting in-person again was all the stronger, after more than a year of digitalised international cooperation. For the occasion, all the Alpine countries were represented, and the event was rich in international dialogues during both the workshops and the excursions in the heart of the park.
Thematic exchanges focused on current topics of international cooperation. Alenka SMERKOLJ, Secretary General of the Alpine Convention and Isabelle Paillet, French Focal Point of the Convention recalled the unique and strong bond which links ALPARC and the Alpine Convention. The ALPARC team presented a brief history of the network's activity, highlighting the importance of Protected Areas in the Alps and calling for more biodiversity protection especially through the realisation of an ecological network across the mountain range. Thematic workshops completed the exchanges between protected area managers: A first one dealt with current challenges of parks as key players in mitigation and adaptation strategies towards climate change and biodiversity loss. A second one illustrated challenges and opportunities that health tourism represents in the sustainable development policies carried out by the Alpine Protected Areas. In this context, the Interreg HEALPS2 project was presented to the participants, as well as concrete examples set up in alpine parks.
Beyond speeches only, it is on the ground that the actions of the parks are visible. Therefore, several excursions were integrated into the program of these festivities. Saturday was the occasion of a long and magnificent hike in the heart of the Ecrins National Park, the highest alpine park. An occasion as well to observe at the Arsine glacier the terrifying speed of global warming in the alpine environment. Participants had the pleasure of exchanging news from all around the Alps during the traditional Alpine buffet and the official dinner for the 25th years anniversary offered by the Les Ecrins National Park.
Invited to celebrate the event, Mrs. Bérangère Abba, Secretary of State for Biodiversity was partially present during the event and an official ALPARC delegation could converse with her and the Secretary General of the Alpine Convention about the most urgent issues in biodiversity protection stressing the message that only together and ecologically inter-connected, do the protected areas of the Alpine arch have the potential for the conservation of the natural heritage for generations to come.
ALPARC, the alpine network of protected areas thanks very much the Les Ecrins National Park, its director and staff for their strong involvement in the organisation of the event as well as all participants and supporters having been present.
PHOTO: ©Thierry Maillet - Parc national des Ecrins
On September 8th, ALPARC and EUSALP Action Group 7 (AG7) co-organised a session at the IUCN World Congress, entitled "Connecting protected areas and beyond to safeguard mountainous ecosystem services and adapt to climate change - An intergenerational dialogue". This joint session brought together experts from various Alpine countries and beyond, as well as four young professionals from fields as varied as research, forestry and environmental education. As symbols of the future, these young professionals came to share their expectations, hopes and solutions to strengthen ecological connectivity in the Alps.
Together, ALPARC, AG7, the Swiss National Park and several witnesses called for more protected areas with a high level of protection - at all altitudes - and above all for greater connectivity between these areas. Ecological connectivity provides a solution to the growing fragmentation of the Mountain space and especially as an adaptation strategy to keep biodiversity and to adapt to climate change. It plays a central role in ecosystem functioning, which is why ALPARC, the Alpine Convention, EUSALP and many others are now cooperating on this topic.
The speakers also called for integrating ecological connectivity into all spatial planning instruments at all scales (local to international) by using an multistakeholder and inter-disciplinary approach. The young professionals have a key role to play in implementing such a territorial planning strategy and projects like OpenSpaceAlps are essential to maintain open spaces as part of Alpine green infrastructure (GI).
The event was followed by dozens of attendees both on site and online, thanks to a live broadcast. A significant amount of time was devoted to the questions raised by the attendees.
Beyond the sole topic of ecological connectivity, this session was the opportunity to offer worldwide visibility to the Alpine territory and mountain environment in general, and to stress out the many challenges it is currently facing. As providers of crucial ecosystem goods and services, mountains are essential for global sustainable development.
Furthermore, the intergenerational dialogue initiated is intended to continue beyond the congress, to work out solution to these challenges all together.
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Founded in 1995, ALPARC has ever since been working restlessly for an ever-stronger cooperation between Alpine Protected Areas. In 2020, it is within the unprecedent context of global pandemic that our organization has reached 25 years of international exchange of expertise, techniques and methods. Although the sanitary situation made impossible any kind of celebration, it has only strengthened our wish to keep on working for Nature conservation and protection. A year later, after months of virtual meetings the whole team is hoping to finally reconnect with face-to-face interaction. A festive and studious event has been consequently planned within Les Ecrins National to celebrate a posteriori 25 years of cooperation. The event intended to Alpine Protected Areas’ representatives and delegations will take place from September 16th to September 18th.
Program: Please download the PDF
Registration (for Alpine Protected Areas only) : https://forms.gle/GtykHdmb59xdGg81A