Accessibility and inclusion in Parks- EUROPARC Germany

 Seven participants of the first study trip to Austria on the topic of “accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities in protected areas” organised by EUROPARC Germany just arrived happily back home. The study trip was part of the project “international exchange of competencies of players in protected areas” (ANNIKA). This project gives Park’s staff and volunteers the possibility to exchange know-how, experiences and strategies in specific aspects of park management, with colleagues in protected areas of other European countries.

The German park staff were invited by the Donau-Auen National Park and Gesaeuse National Park as well as by the Purkersdorf and Kaunergrat Nature Park from the 4th to the 10th of September 2016. Besides the insights gained by visiting best practice examples of the mentioned parks, the participant’s and host’s main benefit of the trip was the possibility to discuss successful concepts and measures in the field of accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities with other professionals and colleagues.

Several new ideas and suggestions were given to the German participants, e.g. relating to an off-road tour especially for blind and partially sighted people, to the “Swiss-Tracs” – an off-road towing device for wheelchairs – and to a Rolli Road Book with tour instructions for wheelchair user. In return, the German participants could give detailed advice based on their own expertise.

For 2017, EUROPARC Germany is planning four study trips for European park staff to visit best practice protected areas in Germany in the areas of

• regional development and sustainable tourism
• accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities
• education for sustainable development
• park management.

Selected German parks will give insight into their work and serve as forum for a professional exchange with the participants.

Opportunity for Park Staff

If you work for a protected area as payed or volunteer park staff and are interested in transboundary exchange, EUROPARC Germany invites you to seize this special opportunity and to apply for participation. For more information please contact EUROPARC Germany, Ms Anne Schierenberg.

The project is financed by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).