Pdfeuroparc Conference 2010 Report
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“Living together. Biodiversity and Human Activities: A Challenge for the Future of Protected Areas” ROPAR EU C F N E D O E R AT I Final Report from the EUROPARC Federation conference September 29th - October 2nd 2010 - Pescasseroli, Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park - Italy ROPAR EU C Contents I. IN BRIEF F N E D O 4 Welcome to the EUROPARC Conference E R AT I General Overview 6 II. IN FOCUS Keynote: speakers 2010: Words from the platform! EUROPARC General Assembly 2010 Transboundary certificate awards Glances and memories from the excursions Workshops: Working together for biodiversity Alfred Toepfer scholarship winners 16 III. IN GENERAL Erika Stanciu (President, EUROPARC Federation) Carol Ritchie (Director Europarc Federation) Sarat Gidda (Convention for Biological Diversity) Harvey Locke (Vice President for Conservation Strategy of the Wild Foundation, Boulder Colorado USA) Jon Jarvis (Director National Park Service USA) Else Oestergaard Andersen (Thy National Park, Denmark) Helen Read (City of London, England) Giuliano Tallone (Ente Parco Nazionale del Circeo, Italy) 2 WELCOME TO THE EUROPARC 2010 CONFERENCE elcome to the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National WPark, we are very delighted to have you here. As president i wish to thank the EUROPARC FEDERATION, EUROPARC staff and administration and in particolar the president Erika Stanciu and the director Carol Ritchie, for choosing Italy, Abruzzo and our National Park for the 2010 conference. Greetings to the local Authorities and to the International guests. A special thank you to all that have worked hard to make this event possible. I would like to wish you a pleasant stay and good work hoping that we may be able to exchange many profitable experiences and ideas for the future of protected areas. Thank You Giuseppe Rossi President Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park 3 At 6 pm delegates made their way to the conference venue, a huge marquee next to the park administration, for the official conference opening. It was lead by Vittorio Ducoli, Director of the National Park, and began with some traditional singing and continued with speeches from Giuseppe Rossi, President of National Park; Giovanni Chiodi, President of the Abruzzo Region; Mauro Di Dalmazio, Tourism Councillor of the Abruzzo Region; Salvatore Muccillo, Environment Councillor of the Molise Region; Giampiero Sammuri, President of Federparchi - EUROPARC Italy; Deanne Adams, President of International Ranger Federation; Gerard O’Neill, Parks Victoria, Australia; and Erika Stanciu, President of EUROPARC Federation. General Overview In conclusion, delegates made their way to one of he EUROPARC conference 2010 took place in four restaurants and had their first taste of the Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise National Park (IT) amount of food that we would be receiving each Tfrom 29th September to 02nd October under evening: 6 to 7 courses of great food, some local and the title “Living together. Biodiversity and Human traditional. The concert “In this World” from the vocal Activities: A Challenge for the Future of Protected Trio Othiasos ended the evening. Area”. 2010 was proclaimed the International Year of Biodiversity and for this reason the EUROPARC Thursday tends to be the most jammed packed day conference, its workshops, excursions and speeches at the conference. It began with inspiring keynote were all focused on this important theme. speeches from and a panel discussion with: Sarat Gidda, Convention for Biological Diversity; Harvey The EUROPARC conference in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Locke, Vice President of Wild Foundation; Carlo Molise National Park in Central Italy was beautiful, Petrini, President, Slow Food International; Jon innovating, and offered some great learning and Jarvis, Director, National Park Service, USA; and networking opportunities. It was attended by 276 Stefan Leiner, Nature Directorate, DG Environment, people from 34 countries. Delegates came mainly European Commission. The session was chaired well from Europe but we also had attendance from the by Dr Hans Friederich, IUCN Regional Director for USA, Canada, Australia, Africa and Asia. PAN Europe. The majority of participants arrived at Pescasseroli During lunch in the sun for some, EUROPARC staff after a long transfer from the airport on Wednesday. and volunteers set up the marquee for the annual The small town and surrounding mountains looked EUROPARC General assembly, which was well stunning with the trees just starting to show their attended, and non members had the option to autumnal colours. The sunshine, which beat down attend the drama workshop “The Animal and the on us for the whole four days, and clear blue skies Mask”. This was followed by five side meetings on a added to the effect but unfortunately did not manage variety of topics. Dinner was followed by two great I. IN BRIEF to hide the fact that we were at 1167 m above sea traditional theatre performances in the heart of the level: the temperatures dropped to around 8 degrees town ‘The Deer’ and ‘The Bear Ballad’. All who saw in the evening. these thoroughly enjoyed them. 4 Friday was the most relaxed day: excursion day. regional governments and the European Commission People met in front of the park administration bright to: and early, grabbed packed lunches and were taken • recognise and reflect in their policies, by bus to various points around the national park. programmes and resource allocations the Some went hiking, some went horse riding, some need to ensure biodiversity is maintained and biking and others took the opportunity to explore ecosystem services secured for the future some cultural heritage of the park. natural health and economic wealth of Europe. All however seemed to have a great day in the • use the skills and experience built up in mountains and returned tired but happy for the protected areas to pilot innovative approaches special evening event, the highlight of the conference to integrated land use and sustainable rural for many. development; • integrate relevant public policies that will Kept a secret even to EUROPARC staff, nobody really enable protected areas to better fulfil their role knew what the special event was going to be, which as management models with long established certainly added to the magical evening. Buses took community engagement . the attendees an hour down to the mountain to the village of Ortona dei Marsi, where they were greeted The last event of the conference was of course the in the main square by candlelight, accordion music, Gala Dinner: the evening where delegates put their traditional food (stew and meat on a barbeque) and best frocks on and relax around a table full of good local wine. food after an intensive week. During the dinner The citizens of Ortona had decorated the village (another seven course whammy) the Alfred Toepfer for the occasion and opened up venues selling or Scholarship Awards and Alfred Toepfer Awards giving away local produce. Away from the main were presented. Afterwards a beautiful traditional square candles led the way through a maze of old conference was given by the band Pagus and then a cobbled streets up through the village. In between DJ took over. The last on the dance floor at 3 am were chatting and eating participants could meander as the Swedes, Romanians and the Germans. they pleased and were invited to stop at various place to drink mulled wine, admire art, eat cake, buy cheese or souvenirs and admire the old buildings. The evening finished with a breathtaking concert in the church from the Pescasseroli Choir. The final day was also busy. On Saturday morning people made their way to the workshops venues they had chosen, around but also outside Pescasseroli. The best part of the day was spent intensively discussing and exchanging ideas on a whole range of topics concerning biodiversity and its relations with mankind. The final plenary session in the afternoon included the workshop feedback, the (re)awarding of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism to 17 European protected areas and present giving to all those who worked hard behind the scenes. In addition, the EUROPARC Flag was handed over to the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve, who will be hosting next years conference. Finally, Michael Starrett summarized the main message of the conference. He reminded delegates, “We are all doers. We just need to work out what we want and make it happen using effective communication as a focal point, nature as a force for integration, remind people that nature used to be the norm in Europe and should be again and finally that nature needs half; interconnecting at least half of the planet’s land and water is necessary to sustain the health, function, and diversity of all life.” The resounding conclusion of the conference was the need for improved communication to others including one clear message, identifying different target groups and using the right language to reach these. In addition, delegates contributed to the official conference message. In the “Pescasseroli Declaration” protected area practitioners called upon national and 5 Keynote speakers: Words from the platform! t was important that in this, the International year of (from the last few centuries) philosophy of people Biodiversity, we took a global perspective looking being apart from nature. Stefan Leiner, from the Iboth within and out with the European experience. Natura 2000 unit in the DG Environment, European It was with that in mind that we were honoured to Commission, stated that despite not reacting the have such a stellar array of speakers from across 2010 target to halt the loss of biodiversity, in fact the the globe. Gerard O’Neil, acting Chief Executive political profile of biodiversity amongst high level of Parks Victoria, represented our Memoranda of politicians has been well achieved. Understanding (MOU) partner Parks Forum. He outlined possible changes across the EU policy He spoke to us on the opening evening about the real areas arising in the coming years which would climate change effects being seen in Australia.