●
EUROPARC Federation
initiative:
Transboundary
Parks … following
nature’s
design
between protected areas at borders
●
Overview of key EUROPARC
activities in the field
of transfrontier cooperation
The IUCN defines a transboundary protected area as: “an area of land and/or sea that straddles one or more borders between states, sub-national units such as provinces and regions, autonomous areas and/or areas beyond the limit of national sovereignty or jurisdiction, whose constituent parts are especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed cooperatively through legal or other effective means”.
In addition, Parks for Peace are defined as: “transboundary protected areas that are formally dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural resources, and to the promotion of peace and cooperation”.
Further information are available at www.tbpa.net.
EUROPARC Federation initiative: Transboundary Parks … following nature’s design
Certification system for exemplary cooperation between protected areas at borders
Promoting transfrontier cooperation between protected areas which adjoin across or lie adjacent to national borders has long been an important part of EUROPARC's work. Most activities in the field of nature conservation are restricted to individual countries or regions. However, natural environments are not limited to borders. This is especially true in Europe with its many small countries and thus a proportionately high number of borders, many of which run along regions of particular ecological diversity such as mountain ranges, rivers, continental lakes or wetlands.
Today there are more than 100 protected areas – national parks, biosphere reserves, nature parks and other large protected areas – situated on national borders in Europe. Their number is ever increasing.
The EUROPARC Federation has developed a certification system "Transboundary Parks – Following Nature’s Design" for exemplary transboundary cooperation between protected areas in Europe. The system was given a global launch at the World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, in September 2003. It aims at
● helping to overcome boundaries,
● improving management of Europe’s natural and cultural heritage,
● enhancing
opportunities to promote sustainable development and the economic well-being
of local communities, as
well as
● reducing political tensions and promoting peace.
Parks, which apply for certification, are evaluated on nine quality criteria necessary for effective cooperation and five key areas for cross-border activity. To the quality criteria belong, for example, an official cooperation agreement between the protected areas involved, an exchange of data and joint fields of work. The key areas of work include nature and landscape conservation, education and communication as well as recreation and sustainable tourism.
The system provides protected areas with:
● A guide for identifying the priorities and essential elements of transboundary cooperation.
●
A tool for analysing existing
cooperation and identifying fields of work where practical
action is required.
● An established and acknowledged standard to which protected areas can aspire.
The receipt of the transboundary certificate brings national and international recognition to the work of the recipient parks and gives new motivation for future work. It can also help raise the profile of the wider transboundary park region and project a positive image of the parks to both locals and visitors.
>>> Please follow the link on the image to view the certificate.
1. Formal registration with the EUROPARC Federation
2. Work through the basic standards:
● Assess what has already been achieved
● Identify where action is still required
3. Complete and submit the full application documents
4. Evaluation on-site by independent verifiers
5. Final decision on award of the certificate
The EUROPARC Federation invites European protected areas at borders to use the ‘Following Nature’s Design’ system to help improve mutual cooperation, and encourages those working together to come forward for certification.
A
manual
containing the EUROPARC “basic standards” for transfrontier cooperation
between protected areas and the certification procedure as well as a
brochure provide further information on the initiative.
Information brochure on the EUROPARC transboundary certification system
Overview of key EUROPARC activities in the field of transfrontier cooperation
Detailed information on the initiative and on how to apply can be requested from the EUROPARC Federation, Kröllstraße 5, Postfach 1153, D – 94475 Grafenau, Tel: +49 (0)8552 96100, Fax: +49 (0)8552 961019, E-mail: office@europarc.org.
Transfrontier cooperation between protected areas is a key theme in the EUROPARC Federation's work programme. This work has been supported with funding from the Karl-Oskar Koenigs-Stiftung Nationalparke (D).