Article 10 of the Tourism Protocol of the Alpine Convention foresees “the creation of quiet zones were no touristic infrastructure shall be developed”. Mountain Wilderness France has started working on this topic and published in 2008 the first French study on this subject. This study offers an analysis of various existing concepts as well as proposals for sites to be classified under this label based on a precise cartography.

Quiet zones are areas that present no particular interest from a strict biological point of view but they are exceptional and merit protection for their natural dimension, their particular calm and silence… their tranquility. They are conceived as new measure of landscape planning and their aim is to define areas were no infrastructure and other equipment should disturb the quiet of nature and man; their implementation should be done based on existing legal instruments.

In order to define , propose and implement this quiet zones Mountain Wilderness France has created an working group gathering actors like the Petzl Foundation, the Regions Rhône-Alpes and PACA, the national regional agencies, the Conservatoire régional des espaces naturels, regional and local politicians, WWF, CIPRA, ALPARC and others.  

 After several meetings and interviews with numerous stakeholders the working group has presented in July the first conclusions and defined the future orientations for the work. Generally the concept is well accepted and a common agreement of a wish to manage the territory according to new innovative way offering a harmonized relation between man and nature was identified.

Members of the network ALPARC as the Regional Nature Park Chartreuse for example are closely involved in these activities.  

 With the upcoming snow the seasonal discussions on disturbance of wildlife by winter outdoor activities will raise again. The usual appeals and bidding for an adapted practice of these activities will only be successful if the background and reasons for them are known and understood.

It is for that aim that WILDLIFE SWISS (WILDTIER SCHWEIZ) has developed a board game offering the players the possibility to take the role of wild animals and live the conditions of mountain winter from their point of view.

Press release (D): see below.  

Facilitating and supporting the creation of new enterprises is acknowledged as an important activity to maintain and reinforce the economic vitality of a territory and its enterprises. The Regional Nature Park Chartreuse is therefore encouraging and supporting the transfer of enterprises and the creation of new activities.

In partnership with the regional economic actors (intern and extern) the Park aims at support possible candidates with a project in Chartreuse in their efforts.

It therefore proposes:

1) An individualised assistance in order to help the potential candidates in the development of their project
2) Facilitating the exchanges with potential support structures
3) Access to relevant socio-economic data for the territory
4) Help in the search of available premises

Further information:http://www.parc-chartreuse.net/vivre-en-chartreuse

 Une « nouvelle » convention pour la pratique de l'alpinisme, de l'escalade et du canyoning a été signée cet été dans le Parc national des Ecrins .

Les « règles » que se donnent ses signataires restent dans l'esprit du partenariat engagé depuis plus de vingt ans dans les Écrins sur ce sujet. En effet, ce document réunit 9 partenaires autour des grands principes de défense d'une montagne sauvage : le Parc national des Écrins, la Fédération française de la montagne et de l'escalade, la Fédération française des clubs alpins et de montagne, la Compagnie des guides Oisans-Ecrins, Mountain Wilderness, l'Association des élus des communes du Parc national des Ecrins, le Syndicat national des gardiens de refuges et gîtes d'étape, l'Office national des forêts, le Ministère de la jeunesse et des sports.

Source et informations à ce lien .  

 Du 7 au 11 juillet 2012, le Parc national du Mercantour et Mountain Wilderness, association nationale de défense de la montagne, ont célébré dix ans de fructueuse collaboration sur les opérations « Installations Obsolètes ».

A cette occasion, plus de six tonnes d'installations militaires et agricoles obsolètes ont été évacuées de différents sites : sur la commune de Jausiers (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) au lac des Sagnes, Granges communes et Restefond et sur la commune de Belvédère (Alpes-Marittimes) à la Cime de Tuor.

Une centaine de bénévoles de l'association âgés de 3 à 83 ans, des gardes du Parc et des éleveurs locaux se sont relayés durant le week-end sur les abords du lac et les pentes occupées par le troupeau du groupement pastoral pour extraire des lignes de barbelés, des déchets de casernement et ménagers agricoles.

Les chantiers de démontage co-organisés par Mountain Wilderness et le Parc national du Mercantour ont débuté en août 2002 dans le secteur de la Vésubie avec deux tonnes de déchets prélevées. Depuis, allant de Vésubie en Ubaye en passant par la Moyenne-Tinée, ce sont 153 tonnes au total, en métal principalement, qui ont été arrachées du sol, conditionnées et acheminées vers les différentes déchetteries. Ce travail entrepris sur 10 ans correspond à 2 700 journées de travail/homme.

( Source:communiqué de presse de Mountain Wilderness)

The scientific group dedicated to research in the Swiss parks has been commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) to create a thematic catalogue.

The catalogue covers themes pertaining to sustainable regional development, with a particular emphasis on comparative research in parks of national importance. This provides the basis for initiating cooperation between scientists, local, regional and national authorities, and park management bodies. It represents the first step towards developing a research strategy.

The catalogue can be downloaded in French or German at :

http://www.parkforschung.ch/downloads//Parkforschung_Themenkatalog_franz.pdf

http://www.parkforschung.ch/downloads//Parkforschung_Themenkatalog_deutsch.pdf

(Source: Research coordination in the Swiss parks)  

 The Mont Avic nature park covers the area of approximately 5.800 hectares between the high alpine valleys of Champdepraz and Champorcher in the Italian region of Aosta Valley. Together with Gran Paradiso national park and Vanoise national park in France, it forms vast and one of the largest trans boundary protected areas in the Alps. Landscape types, which protection is rather poorly represented on the national level include high mountain ophiolite sites, mountain pine forests and peat bogs.

In the heart of the park there are many lakes that with its surroundings form a typical alpine landscape of great value. 

 The protected area preserves a wide variety of ecosystems and traditional agricultural activities, typical for alpine space. On high mountain pastures grazing cattle, and to a lesser extent sheep and goat is presented. In the early years of 20th century mining activities have gradually depleted forests.

In the last decades, the complete absence of economic exploitation of forests lead to its renewal. Consequently the presence of forest fauna improved (especially wood-eating insects, black woodpecker, boreal owl and Eurasian pygmy owl). 

The role of protected area management

The park has acquired the labels SIC and ZPS, that safeguard habitats and species of particular interest. Among the most important ones we can mention the forest fauna, flora and fauna of less spread and therefore particularly vulnerable areas such as peat bogs and surfaces of serpentinite and schist rocks.

The Mont Avic nature park is the first protected area that obtained the label EMAS. European commission granted this certificate to the park in 2003. EMAS is an environment management system designed to encourage institutional, surveillance and other activities (especially agriculture and tourism) to undertake more appropriate environment treatment measures. 

 In order to promote proper visit to the park, more than 100 km of regularly maintained footpaths, accompanied with information panels and viewing points are arranged. In the visitor centre an interactive museum exhibition, devoted to habitats in the valley of Champdepraz is installed. A second visitor centre is currently in construction in the village of Champorcher, that will be design to present high altitude environments.

Park rangers and naturalist guides will provide guided and teaching visits. With nature conservation topics of internships, park welcomes students. On the web page www.montavic.it , you can find all further information, publications and full description of the park. 

Park's identity card

 The Chapter "Evaluating Management Effectiveness of National Parks as a Contribution to Good Governance and Social Learning" is available online at this link (or see below).

About the authors:

Michael Getzner
Center of Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy,
Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria

Michael Jungmeier
ECO Institute of Ecology, Klagenfurt, Austria

Bernd Pfleger
Experience Wilderness, Enns, Austria

Resources linked to the article

We are pleased to provide you here a first list of events organized or co-organized by ALPARC and important dates to remember in 2012.

 The "For the Alps" multivision is an ALPARC project undertaken in conjunction with 20 network partners. It was created by Alex Rowbotham (AGR Digital Media) and set to original music by Sandro di Stefano. The production contains over 400 original photographs, most of which were taken by staff from the Alpine parks.

The media experience was premiered on 24 May 2012, the European Day of Parks. Over the summer, it was screened by our partners in six Alpine countries. The multivision production was then presented as part of AlpWeek 2012, which was held this September in Poschiavo (Switzerland).The multivision production is now available for use by all protected area managers in the ALPARC network.

Want to find out more about multivision?

Visit the website : multivision.alparc.org 

 Director : Alex Rowbotham, AGR Digital Media, www.agrfoto.com

Original music composed by : Sandro Di Stefano

An ALPARC production

Original work designed by 20 partners from 6 Alpine countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland

Nearly all photographs were taken by staff from the Alpine protected areas

Running time: 23 minutes

Available in 5 languages: English, French, German, Italian and Slovenian

The production will touch any and everyone. 

How to use multivision

High-definition files are already available for you to download from the dedicated multivision website . You will need to register in order to access the files (Sign in > Register). Once your registration has been approved (you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours), you will be able to access the private download area.
You can access: 

• the multivision files in .exe and .mp4 format, in three different resolutions and three different language versions (F, D, I, S / F, D, I, E /S, D, I, E)
• the technical manual which explains what equipment you will need (computer, projector, etc.)
• customisable posters (in five languages) which you can use to advertise screenings
• press releases in five languages
• multivision postcards for you to print and hand out to the audience (includes a web address where viewers can watch the multivision presentation again online).

 If you are planning a screening in your area, please notify ALPARC and enter the details on the multivision website. Simply sign in to publish details of your event using the online calendar .

Coming soon

For the Alps will also be available in DVD and Blu-ray format by the end of 2012. A free copy will be sent to all Alpine protected areas.The low-definition version is ideal for use with DVD players and will complement the high-definition versions (.exe and .mp4 files) suitable for large screens.

All the Alpine protected areas are invited to make the most of this collaborative project by including it in their programming for 2013.

If you have any questions, please contact Marie Stoeckel, +33 (0)4 79 26 55 00 or multivision@alparc.org

Financing: The multivision productions was co-financed by the partner protected areas who helped to create it (listed here )and by: 

 Climate Change and anthropogenic activities are challenging European habitats and their management.Especially protected areas are confronted with the pressing need to monitor changes, adapt management strategies and consider flexible responses to future developments.

The aim of the conference is to bring together researchers, conservation managers and decision-makers in the field of nature conservation.It provides a platform for dialogue to develop a better understanding of the complex impacts of climate change on biodiversity on local level and the means to adapt management in protected areas accordingly.

We anticipate 150 international participants to enjoy two days of technical sessions, workshops, poster exhibits and social activities, and one day of excursions.

Topics:

• Monitoring and modelling of climate-induced impacts
• Assessing sensitivity to climate change
• Actual and future management practices
• Awareness raising and stakeholder involvement
• Legal aspects and policy recommendations

One of the conference aims is to found the association "Climate Change and Protected Areas". This association should serve as a sustainable network for transdisciplinary exchange of experts in this field.

For further information, please click on the following link: http://www.habit-change.eu/index.php?id=200

Der Nationalpark Kalkalpen lädt zusammen mit dem Wildnisgebiet Dürrenstein, Nationalparks Austria, dem WWF und dem Naturschutzbund zu Wildnistagen im Nationalpark Kalkalpen ein.

Unter dem Motto „Wilde Vielfalt“ verbringen die TeilnehmerInnen drei Tage und zwei Nächte in der Waldwildnis des Nationalparks und nächtigen in einfachen Unterkünften. Begleitet von Experten nähert man sich in verschiedenen Ansätzen der „Wildnis“ im Nationalpark Kalkalpen.

Folgende Themen stehen zur Auswahl:

1.) Wildnisvermittlung – Wildnisangebote,

2.) Indikatoren der Wildnis oder

3.) Verwildern - braucht Wildnis ein Management? 

Für weitere Informationen und Anmeldung kontaktieren Sie bitte das Nationalpark Zentrum Molln, Nationalpark Allee 1 in 4591 Molln unter 0043 (0)7584/3951 oder per Email.