La Rete delle Aree Protette Alpine
The data controller responsible for your personal information under the European Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), enforced on May 25, 2018, is:
ALPARC 256, Rue de la République - 73000 Chambéry, France
Tel.: +33 (0) 4 79 26 55 00 - Email: info@alparc.org
ALPARC, The Alpine Network of Protected Areas, is an association under the French law 1901. Its missions are to coordinate and carry out actions for and with the protected areas in the Alpine region as a contribution to the Alpine Convention under the themes of Biodiversity, Education for sustainable development in the Alps, and Regional Development.
ALPARC respects your right to privacy and personal data. ALPARC does everything in its power to guarantee your security online when collecting your personal information. Any questions regarding its privacy notice or data collection process can be addressed to ALPARC’s Data Collection Officer at the email address or telephone number indicated above.
Personal data is any information that can be used directly or indirectly to identify a person. The only personal information that ALPARC collects are email addresses and first and last names. ALPARC collects this data to inform its public on news concerning the alpine protected areas in the Alpine region, general environmental policy and other news regarding nature conservation and protection through its newsletter and emailings.
ALPARC collects the minimum amount of data necessary. This includes email addresses and names for ALPARC’s purposes only. Personal data is never transferred to third parties or used for commercial reasons. Your personal information stays confidential. Data transfers for internal communications will only be done with your permission. Everyone with access to your personal information at ALPARC is legally obliged to protect your data so that it stays confidential.
Personal information is collected for the following reason: External communications including newsletters and emailings
ALPARC keeps your personal information only for the amount of time it sees necessary to carry out its external communication activities or until you wish to be removed from its database.
ALPARC promises to protect any personal information it receives and to keep it confidential. It has adopted the appropriate technical and organizational measures to assure that your data is not modified, lost or used without permission.
Under the EU General Data Protect Regulation law, you have the right to revoke consent to the use and collection of your personal information at any moment. In other words, you have the right to opt out of ALPARC’s external communications emailing list. This can be done by clicking on the ‘unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of every newsletter and mailing. You can also write to info@alparc.org or call at +33 (0) 4 79 26 55 00 to unsubscribe. Once you unsubscribe, you will no longer receive external communication emailings from ALPARC and your personal information will be erased. You can ask ALPARC to receive a portable copy of the data collected in a common format.
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The Parco Naturale Prealpi Giulie is now recognized by UNESCO as a new Biosphere Reserve. Biosphere Reserves are designated by national governments and then recognized by UNESCO under its Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme, which promotes sustainable development. Earlier this month, the MAB gave the park the status of a Biosphere Reserve, acknowledging the site’s natural value and the park’s activities associated to sustainability such its eco-museums. This internationally recognized status is only given to sites that are successful in connecting conservation, development, and learning. The president of the park, Andrea Beltrame, states that the park has been working since 2011 to earn this status and that it will help them with future actions aimed at reconnecting humans to nature.
What is a Biosphere Reserve?
Biosphere reserves are “Science for Sustainability support sites” where innovative approaches to sustainable development, resource management, and interactions between nature and society can be tested. They are places of reconciliation of natural and cultural diversity with economic and social development.
Biosphere reserves are made up of three zones: 1. Core areas for the preservation of landscapes, ecosystems and biodiversity; 2. A Buffer zone which surrounds the core area and reinforces scientific research, monitoring, and education; and 3. A Transition area for economic and human development to take place in a way that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable.
For more info: https://www.parcoprealpigiulie.it/view.aspx?id=ELE0005164&L=it
The Parc National des Ecrins was granted a spot on the International Union for Nature Conservation’s (IUCN) ‘Green List’ earlier this month during France’s Nature Congress (June 12th, 2019) in Marseille. The 'Green List’ Label gives international recognition to well-managed and well-governed protected areas and conservation sites. In order to obtain this status, the Parc National des Ecrins had to meet 17 environmental and social requirements under 4 themes: good governance, sound design and planning, effective management and positive conservation outcomes. Thierry Durand, who initiated the process of obtaining this label in 2016, sees this as an opportunity for the park to work on concrete projects in biodiversity especially in the context of climate change. The Parc National des Ecrins is now one of 46 parks worldwide with this recognition.
Source: http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/actualite/ecrins-accedent-liste-verte-uicn
This was the emblematic title of the French Nature Reserves’ 38th Congress that was entirely dedicated to a new way of managing protected areas in order to adapt to climate change.
When it comes to climate change the Alps are particularly effected. The French Nature Reserve (RNF) Congress, that took place in Le-Mônetier-les-Bains/Serre-Chevalier (France), carried out an extensive program over four days (from June 4th - 8th, 2019), starting with the official launch of the European project Pitem Biodivalp and concluding with on-site visits to surrounding protected areas.
The Congress had a technical approach with the general objective of raising awareness and inciting participants to take on the issues of climate change and its effects through managing protected areas in an innovative and climate resilient way.
During the Congress, the General Assembly of RNF took place allowing all the network members to discuss internal issues. Moreover, field activities to discover biodiversity in the nearby protected areas along with their climate change adapted management were organised. All of the outcomes of the conference were presented in a closing plenary opened to all participants.
Alparc took an active role in the session dedicated to exchanges within protected area networks and the RNF. It also attended the thematic session in order to enhance its knowledge on climate change and to gather some useful information on the degree of adaptation that can be implemented in protected areas.
Under the pression of the global phenomenon, protected areas have a fundamental role to play - enhancing nature as a strong measure to adapt to climate change.
More information at: https://congres-reserves-naturelles-de-france.fr/
How to make learning approaches interactive and at the same time, effectively implement the principles of Mountain-oriented Education in school activities? These problems, including the active involvement of students in field actions, were faced during the development of the Alpine School Model - one of the main outputs of the YOUrALPS project. Under this project, the Alpine school App was developed, a practical pedagogical tool supporting the theoretical approach of the Alpine School Model.
The App
The interactive Alpine school App allows learners and educators to directly observe nature all along its life cycle. The user can describe and upload Mountain-oriented educational activities carried out all over the Alps as well. The App can be used as the perfect complement to in-class lessons in order to explore the issues related to Alpine sustainable development. It also favors exchanges among all the users, who can share their experiences and observations.
How does it work?
The App is ready-to-use. Its main function is ‘add spot’, making it possible to choose between three pillars: Observation of the Environment, Governance and Socio-Economic.
With regard to Governance, this category allows users to share educational activities. It is dedicated to all those activities that deal with the sustainable development of the Alpine region.
Finally, under the Socio-Economic pillar users can record places where it is possible to consume sustainably, from shops to restaurants and local markets.
To download and use the App:
IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alpine-school-app-spotteron/id1461511006
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spotteron.alpineschoolapp
Computer or laptop: https://www.spotteron.com/alpineschoolapp/
*Wikipedia definition of phenology: Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors (such as elevation).
Mont Avic Natural Park, as part of the 30th anniversary of its foundation, promoted a study day entitled "Management of protected areas and ecosystem services - interactions and synergies with EMAS" dedicated to analyzing the synergies between the planning tools of protected areas, ecosystem services and EMAS (Eco Management and Audit Scheme). The event was sponsored by the Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) and the Comitato per l'Ecolabel e l'Ecoaudit, who is responsible for issuing EMAS registration in Italy.
The day featured a discussion on the quantification of ecosystem services, a complex process that requires a multidisciplinary approach due to the variety of services it provides and for its multidimensional value. This discussion was held in light of the concept ‘Ecosystem Services Payment’, first introduced into Italian national legislation in 2015 and whose beneficiaries include municipalities, protected areas and organizations that work in the collective management of common goods.
The evaluations concerning ecosystem services are of great relevance in protected areas. Mont Avic Natural Park, together with Gran Paradiso National Park and other protected areas, were recently involved in a test action, promoted by Federparchi and ISPRA. The goal of this action was to recognize EMAS registration as an objective tool contributing to the maintenance and provision of ecosystem services. Its results were presented during the study day and will later be published as part of the 2019 annual update of the EMAS Environmental Declaration, available on the EMAS page of the institutional website.
During the day, the Mont Avic Natural Park also presented the contents of the new Spatial Management Plan, which came into force in 2018, and explicitly recognizes the Environmental Management System (according to EMAS Regulation) as an operational tool.
The event ended with a viewing of the video "Summary of the EMAS 2018-2021 Environmental Declaration of the Mont Avic Natural Park", available here on YouTube. The video won ‘best multimedia product’ on May 25th, during the EMAS Italia 2019 Awards.
To request guest speakers’ speeches from the event, please write to: info@montavic.it.
About 80 hunters from the three regions Haute Savoie (France), Val d’Aosta (Italy) and Valais (Switzerland) met in Chamonix to share their experience about their respective hunting practices and to evaluate the impact of hunting on ecological connectivity in the transboundary area, which is one of the Working Regions of the ALPBIONET2030 project. This meeting, organized under the framework of ALPBIONET2030 project by the Hunters Federation of Upper-Savoie, was the first time for many of the participants to discover how hunting is managed in the other regions across the border. A lot of similarities but also several big differences could be assessed in wildlife management practices. The picture was completed by the presentation of Jonas Kahlen from Veterinary University of Vienna, who presented an overview of hunting practices in the Alpine countries and its effects on wildlife. Moreover, the impacts of other outdoor activities (skiing, paragliding, trail running, biking, etc…) on wildlife populations were analyzed in the afternoon. Concrete proposals for a closer cooperation on various issues and a regular exchange between the actors of wildlife management in the three countries were defined in a plenary discussion and the foundation for this reinforced collaboration was laid. The Final Conference of the ALPBIONET2030 project will take place in Chamonix on October 8th and 9th, 2019 and will be the occasion to report the progress made on this cooperation.
The Links4Soils summer school will take place from June 10th of June to 14th 2019 on the Pokljuka Plateau, a part of the Triglav National Park in Slovenia (TNP) biosphere reserve.
Five exciting days of an interactive program with creative and inspiring minds on the Pokljuka plateau, Slovenia!
Members of the high school students in the alpine region are invited to join and learn about soils, how soil is vital for humans, nature, environment and entire life in terrestrial ecosystems. Soils, soil diversity, soil ecosystem services and protection are main topics that will be presented to the youth interestingly and understandably. Groups of five to six students with a school mentor will be hosted by the local organisers (the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia and the Slovenian Forest Service) and coached by an international group of professors of soil science and experts – Links4Soils project partners. Accommodation of participants (students and accompanying teachers, soil experts of international reputation as well as researchers from institutes and universities the school mentors) and meals will be arranged with the kind assistance of the TNP and the Slovenian Ministry of Defence.
For more information: https://alpinesoils.eu/summer-school/
Or contact: jurka.lesjak@kis.si
Climate change, biodiversity loss and lack of opportunities are some of the problems that are increasingly impacting the Alpine region. In this context, youth tend to lose their relationship with the environment and abandon the mountains. Moreover, the loss of one’s Alpine identity is a potential consequence of this on a medium-term basis. This is a major threat to the future of the Alps since young people have a crucial role to play as future citizens and decision-makers in Alpine businesses, politics and sciences.
On this basis, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the Alps aims at instilling in young generations the awareness and knowledge of the cultural and natural heritage of the Alps in order to enhance existing opportunities for them and to create new ones. ESD in the Alps favors the development of competencies and attributes factors such as environmental awareness and nature-connectedness as key prerequisites to sustainable lifestyles in the mountains. ESD’s ultimate goal is to provide young people with the means not only to understand and face the current challenges of their territory, but also to anticipate future problems that they may face in the region.
“If education alone cannot solve current and future challenges, it can at least contribute to a new development model in a humanistic and holistic sense that enables all people to realize their potential for a sustainable future and a life of dignity” (UNESCO 2015)
ALPARC believes that ESD is a viable way to reconnect youth with the mountains and to foster new opportunities for a lively and sustainable future in the Alps.
How?
ESD in the Alps relies on innovative pedagogical approaches in collaboration with protected areas, to help students develop the skills needed to understand our fast-paced and ever-changing world and to act accordingly.
In this perspective, ALPARC also promotes an educational model based on ESD principles that is adapted to the specificities of the mountain environment. This model promotes initiatives that encourage youth to explore their natural environment. The Alps, with their exceptional biodiversity and cultural heritage, represent the perfect laboratory to develop and enhance traditional activities such as agriculture in a sustainable way by combining them with new technology and innovation.
Young people need to develop new skills and competencies that bring about innovation and development in their territories. The following are some of the elements on which ESD in the Alps insists on in order to prepare students for the future:
• outdoor education
• learning by doing
• interdisciplinary methods
• cooperation between formal and non-formal educators
• the use of new technologies
• learner centered approach
Projects :
The Alps are not only a natural environment but are also home to more than 14 million people and numerous visitors each year from around the world. In order to provide pleasant and safe livelihoods and recreational spaces, adequate regional development measures must be implemented to create and maintain a high quality of life.
Regional (rural) development and quality of life is not restricted only to economic characteristics. It takes into consideration a wide range of factors such as aesthetically pleasing natural and cultural values of landscapes, the degree to which a natural environment is healthy and intact, the cultural identity and authenticity of an area, biodiversity richness and evenness, pollution levels and the distance between rural and urban areas.
Generally, it is the responsibility of the public authorities to provide the overall framework, infrastructure and services needed for this development. Nonetheless, protected areas can play a pivotal role on local and regional levels to ensure that regional development respects biodiversity and other aspects of sustainable development, including the factors mentioned above.
Tourism is one of the most noticeable ways of generating economic activities in and around protected areas. In addition to this, protected areas can bring about other advantages to rural areas by triggering new dynamics that inspire people to grow innovative initiatives. They can also help promote regional products, create green jobs, foster social inclusion and provide ecosystem services that go beyond boundaries.
Protected areas can thus help develop new models of sustainable regional development that consider ecological, economic, social and cultural aspects of a territory and its people. They can be lighthouses and experimental laboratories for new approaches to developing rural areas – and ALPARC supports protected areas in fulfilling this important role.
Projects:
Ecological connectivity
The Alps are a relatively young mountain range characterized by its variety of natural spaces, climates, geographies and ecosystems. It is home to a rich biodiversity which depends on the Alpine habitats, such as woodlands, prairies and watercourses, for survival. However, animals face many obstacles due to human activities like road infrastructures or intensely used agricultural land. Humanmade infrastructure fragments landscapes and destroys habitats, making the resources on which animals depend inaccessible. Additionally, populations become isolated as migration patterns are disrupted. Climate change is exacerbating this situation, putting many Alpine species at risk of extinction.
Alpine Protected Areas play a vital role in biodiversity protection. They are often the last refuge for many plants and animal species. Connecting protected areas preserves biodiversity on the long term by allowing for undisturbed natural processes to take place.
Ecological connectivity is needed on land, under water and in the air to safeguard biodiversity for future generations. It is the cornerstone for nature conservation and presents itself as a potential answer to biodiversity loss since isolating populations in protected areas is no longer a viable solution.
Alpine countries contribute to global nature conservation
The Convention on Biological Diversity commits the Alpine countries to protecting biodiversity. Since mountains regions are hotspots for biodiversity, ecological networks in the Alpine region help fulfill this global commitment.
Activities aimed at protecting biodiversity and ensuring that ecosystems are functioning smoothly are found in Article 12 of the Nature Protection Protocol of the Alpine Convention:
“Ecological Network: The contracting parties shall pursue the measures appropriate for creating a national and cross-border network of protected areas, biotopes and other environmental assets protected or acknowledged as worthy of protection”
This article laid the groundwork for ALPARC’s activity since 2003, which focused on creating spatial links between protected areas.
Since then, ALPARC has implemented several activities, coordinated project publications and conferences on the topic.
Projects:
A new management plan for the preservation of the biodiversity in the Ristolas Mont Viso National Nature Reserve has been finalised. The Queyras Regional Nature Park, the managing authority of the Natural Reserve, has produced a massive 405 paged plan presenting a program based on 100 actions aiming to enhance life and biodiversity in the protected area within the next 10 years.
The experience gathered from the previous management plan of 2014-2018 allowed the agents of the natural reserve, with the support of the Scientific Board of the Queyras Park, to elaborate a more structured plan that is mostly based on the knowledge of the natural patrimony of the protected area. This second plan updates the Fauna Flora Habitats inventories plan, highlighting the high quantity of biodiversity within the nature reserve.
A management plan built on the knowledge of natural heritage
Thanks to the work of the park agents and of the Scientific Board, 30 new habitats were classified in the Queyras wetlands. Moreover, in regards to wildlife, if the number of mammals, birdsand reptile species remained stable, 478 new species of insects were inventoried. Concerning Flora, 130 more taxa were identified and classified than in the previous project's inventory (Management Plan 1). This included some species like the Pastel of the Alps, which are only found in the town of Abriès-Ristolas; a fact that underlines the responsibility of the park managers in preserving this rare biodiversity. The management plan also identifies the priority for the protection of certain endangered species: 33 for flora, 15 for vertebrate fauna.
Conservation challenges
The conservation issues remain the same as for the previous Plan. They relate to visitor management, habitat and species conservation, information and knowledge sharing, the promotion of applied scientific research to management, and the administration and governance of wildlife and nature reserve. In this scenario, monitoring the impact of human activities is very important as well as observing climatic evolutions.
Actions
Some actions have already been launched. For instance, a collaboration with the French Alpine Club and the refuge of Viso will reduce the impact of the economic and touristic use of the site as the installation of a hydroelectric power station and waste management system are on the agenda.
For further information: https://www.pnr-queyras.fr/un-second-plan-de-gestion-pour-la-reserve-naturelle/