ALPARC CENTR’ALPS has now published the brochure "Biodiversitätsschutz an kleineren Fliessgewässern im deutschsprachigen Alpenraum - Rahmenbedingungen, Zuständigkeiten und Handlungsoptionen von Schutzgebieten für gemeinsame Maßnahmen" (Biodiversity protection on smaller watercourses in the German-speaking Alpine region - Framework conditions, responsibilities and options for action of protected areas for joint measures). It is available only in German (with a short Englisch summary) and can be read or downloaded here:

https://www.alparc.org/alpine-resources/centr-alps-brochure-watercourses

Printed copies are available from the office in Immenstadt (centralps@alparc.org).

Content

The brochure describes the systematics and legal basis of watercourses in Germany/Bavaria, Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland, addresses responsibilities and stakeholders and identifies key challenges from the perspective of protected areas. It then describes the most important strengths of protected area managements and considers four fields of action:

• • Water engineering measures
  • Recreational use and visitor guidance
  • Neobiota
  • Watercourses in the agricultural environment

A selection of concrete examples of measures serves as motivation for other protected areas to implement (further) activities themselves. The examples primarily provide ideas and practical tips. Based on their experiences, recommendations are made on how protected areas should approach the topic in principle, how they can participate in the activities of other stakeholders and how they can take action with their own measures.

The project behind the brochure

The work on smaller watercourses and the brochure are part of the project “Biodiversity Protection in Times of Climate Change - Cross-border Cooperation of Protected Areas for Species and Habitat Protection in the Central Alpine Region" (https://www.alparc.org/de/biodiversitaetsschutz-in-zeiten-des-klimawandels), which was funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.