Increasing awareness and monitoring of protected nature parks

closed

The project awakened the public to the challenge of climate change and the conservation of biodiversity in a protected area composed of five Italian and four Slovenian parks.Marko Glavina, Joint Technical Secretariat, Triglavski National ParkLed by the Triglavski National Park, the parks carried out research into climate change and biodiversity in these protected areas. Specifically Climaparks ‘strengthened the cooperation among parks and created a network for taking measurement and making common observations,’ said Marko Glavina, Joint Technical Secretariat, Triglavski National Park. ‘Now the parks have a solid base for comparative analysis.’From such detailed analysis, assessments can be made of how climate change will continue to affect the area and what conservation strategies thus need to be adopted.Promoting environmental responsibilityThe Italian and Slovenian parks raised awareness about the importance of taking a responsible attitude towards the natural environment by setting up information centres and training programmes. For example, an old bus station in Claut in Pordenone was converted into a new visitor centre. Joint cross-border awareness campaigns were also held.The parks also launched pilot projects to observe visitor behaviour in protected areas and to establish best practices for the sustainable management of protected areas. For example, in the Julian Prealps Park, Slovenia, a series of pilot projects to reduce energy consumption and emissions were carried out to combat the most negative effects of climate change.Involving and educating visitorsThe pilot projects also developed the concept of visitors serving as role models. Members of the public can themselves become involved in awareness raising activities that inform visitors and other target groups about climate change, biodiversity, sustainable management and general environmental issues.The project leaders highlight three main outcomes: monitoring and analysis of climate change, biodiversity and visitor behaviour in the protected area; establishing pilot projects in each park for a sustainable management of protected areas; organising communication and training activities on climate change, biodiversity and environmental issues for sustainable visits.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “CLIMAPARKS - Monitoring and study the effects of climate changes” is EUR 3 236 444, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 2 750 977 from the Operational Programme “Italy-Slovenia” for the 2007 to 2013 period.