1ucN1 wcPA Parks for Life ransboundary Protected Areas .~.. ,fo!"E.~"OnrT'Mi'°li IUCN t'I a'lC Famltj A"fa·~ EUROPARC The Wo~d eo...,mtlon Union ICP..t.ilC• ol AJ'it'".t. Federation Robert Brunner in collaboration with the EUROPARC Federation {FNNPE) and the World Commission on Protected Areas (\/I/CPA) of the VVorld Conservation Union (IUCN) Parks for Life: Transboundary Protected Areas in Europe Published in 1999 by the IUCNIWCPA "Parks for Life" Coordination Office, Hajdrihova 28, Sl-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; an imprint of Tiskarstvo Peklaj, Ljubljana. Editor: Andrej Sovinc Front Cover Photo: Tatra National Park (Transboundary Protected Area Poland/Slovak Republic; A. Sovinc) Study prepared at the request of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Youth and Family Affairs - Republic of Austria. CIP - Katalozni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjiZn.ica, Ljubljana 502.4(4) BRUNNER, Robert Transboundary protected areas in Europe I [Robert Brunner in collaboration with the EUROPARC Federation (FNNPE) and the World CoJJIIDission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) I. - Ljubljana : IllcN/WCPA "Parks for life" Coordination Office, 1999 Avtor naveden v kolofonu 1. Gl. stv. nasl. 104344064 Robert Brunner, in collaboration with the EUROPARC Federation (FNNPE) and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Parks for Life: Transboundary Protected Areas in Europe Study prepared at the request of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Youth and Family Affairs - Republic of Austria Final Report Ljubljana, November 1999 The author and contributors to this publication, members of the IUCN/WCPA and EUROPARC Federation, would like to thank the Federal Ministry of Environment, Youth and Family Affairs - Republic of Austria for the support in the preparation of this publication. Robert Brunner Transboundary Protected Areas in Europe (final report) FOREWORD result, several protected areas have been destroyed. Our hope now is that In 1994 Parks for life - the WCPA ac­ greater cross-border co-operation can tion plan for Europe has defined 30 pri­ be used to rebuild relationships, for the ority projects, which could cover the benefit of people and to help conserve requirements of tools and instruments nature. This study is a particularly for the authorities, protected area timely contribution to the process of managers, and environmentalists. rebuilding peace in our continent. Transboundary co-operation was one ofthese themes. We gratefully acknowledge the assis­ tance of the Austrian Federal Ministry Arbitrary national boundaries do not of Environment, Youth and Family Af­ define the extent of landscapes and fairs. We are grateful too for assistance ecosystems worthy of protection. They from the EUROPARC Federation and do, however, influence the quality of from the various protected area ad­ nature conservation because this is ministrations, without whom this study affected by differences between na­ would not have been possible. tional legislation on different sides of the border. While Robert Brunner states in this re­ port that not every protected area could This study analyses the situation of be included, this does not detract from protected areas across the boundaries the value of the study. However, of European States, lists successes WCPA would like to improve the data­ and shortcomings, and gives valuable base of cross-border co-operation in advice as to how co-operation between protected areas. We therefore appeal protected areas can be improved and to all protected area administrations, enhanced. and all organisations involved in nature conservation, to inform the author of The first such effort in cross border co­ this study of any new cross-border operation began in 1932 between Po­ schemes for co-operation in conserva­ land and Slovakia: Today some 200 tion and to draw his attention to places European protected areas adjoin pro­ where such co-operation is desirable. tected areas in neighbouring European The updated results will be made states and this number is constantly available over the Internet. increasing. Through this study, IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) wishes to raise standards in the management of cross-border parks and encourage more such co­ A. Phillips, operation. The author, Robert Brunner, WCPAChair has proposed certain minimum re­ quirements that ought to be fulfilled by all transboundary protected areas. Naturally, this does not exclude more extended, detailed agreements. M. Zupancic-Vicar, WCPA Regional Vice-chair In South East Europe, recent conflicts have put a considerable strain on in­ ternational relations. Some neighbours have even become enemies, and bQundaries have been redrawn. As a Robert Brunner Transboundary Protected Areas in Europe (final report) SUMMARY pean Action Plan of the IUCN: "Parks for Life". Austria has extensive expe­ Purpose rience in the area of international co­ operation between protected areas. Transboundary protected area coop­ The Neusiedler See - Seewinkel, and eration is an important precondition for Thayatal national parks are two im­ the preservation of comprehensive portant protected areas cooperating and complex ecosystems of the closely with their partners. The recom­ mendations prepared which are to be larg~t size possible. Most activities discussed by WCPA are for this rea­ in field of nature conservation are the son of significance for nature conser­ restricted to individual countries or re­ vation in Austria. gions. However, natural environments are not, limited to borders. This is es­ pecially true in Europe with its many Facts small countries and thus a proportion­ ately high number of borders which Borders are always barriers that have are exactly those regions of great eco­ to be overcome. Different languages logical diversity-mountain ranges, riv­ and cultures, different political systems ers, continental lakes, wetlands­ and socioeconomic conditions may which form borders. The conservation separate individuals living on each side of such natural sites is necessary on of these borders. C. SHINE of the both sides of the border, and in­ IUCN Commission for Environmental cludes, if possible, a coordinated sys­ Law has clearly shown the effect that tem of conservation. borders can have on protected areas and how to overcome them, at least at local levels, through cooperation. The For many years, EUROPARC and creation of protected areas extend­ IUCN have exerted numerous efforts to promote transboundary protected ar­ ing, "free of borders", into two eas and to coordinate international co­ countries, will still remain an "eco­ operation. This study is aimed at col­ logic;;il utopia" for some time to come. lecting and utilising present experience with transboundary protected areas, This study would not have been possi­ and analysing existing models of trans­ ble without the cooperation of a num­ boundary cooperation. ber of experts from the protected area administrations, who enabled us to In order to achieve a high standard of obtain data by providing us with infor­ cooperatiof1"'8cross borders, minimum mation, documents, photos and by fill­ standards as well as international ing out the questionnaire. criteria and guidelines for trans­ boundary protected areas should be Seven reports on practical experience defined. Similar to IUCN criteria for with transboundary cooperation, four protected areas, and as- guidelines for case studies and 79 questionnaires the implementation of transboundary were used for this study. ln this con­ protected areas, they should ensure text, it seems that despite many con­ high quality cooperation. tacts and common projects, regular cooperation guaranteed by con­ By supporting this study, the Austrian tracts between protected areas is Federal Ministry of Environment, not yet the norm. Youth and Family Affair~ has made an important contribution to the Euro- Common monitoring of protected areas 2 Robert Brunner Transboundary Protected Areas in Europe (final report) on both sides of the borders under must be placed on such protected common administration still meets with area systems. refusal today. Cooperation is particu­ larly intense when it does not involve In collaboration with neighboring coun­ actual implementation, for example, for tries, it is important to plan, from the the exchange of staff. A satisfadory very start, the location of protected solution is still far from being reached areas near borders. The same is true for important tasks such as jointly for cultural landscapes which should be prepared management plans. developed in a way that natural re­ sources are used carefully and ex­ However, the questionnaire has also ploited in a sustainable manner. With shown that there are still many cases regard to this point, the conservation of of closed borders and borders under natural and cultural landscapes is only high surveillance. Joint development of at a preliminary stage. the regions is thus hindered and the habitat of the fauna is restricted. The competent authorities should pro­ vide the principal conditions for trans­ Results boundary cooperation. To achieve sat­ isfactory results, it is necessary ·to de­ This study concludes with recommen­ fine minimum standards and criteria dations for future transboundary for such cooperation in the framework cooperation between the European of legal agreements. Planning is not protected areas. Not only should it the only concern, but also continued guarantee efficient cooperation in