This year, Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor – Veenland got approved as the newest member of the EUROPARC Transboundary Parks network. Get to know them!

In 2020 there were five candidatures for the Transboundary Parks Programme, sadly because of Covid-19 many of the evaluation visits could not take place, and they have been postponed to 2021. However, apart from awarding Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor – Veenland for the first time, we were happy to renew Julian Alps, composed of Preapli Giulie Nature Park (Italy) and Triglav National Park (Slovenia) and Bavarian Forest National Park & Šumava National Park (respectively Germany and Czech Republic) as transboundary areas.

During the last TransParcNet meeting, which was hosted online in December, park ranger Hauke Zirfas already had the chance to introduce the area to the other Transboundary Parks. A little later, the request for International Nature Park Bourtanger Moor- Bargerveen to become a member of the Transboundary Parks Network officially got approved.

The Park

Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor – Veenland is a unique bog ecosystem. The largest contiguous raised bog in Europe once reached from northwest Germany all the way into the Netherlands. After extensive destruction of the moor towards the end of the last millennium, the cross-border nature park has set itself the task of protecting and developing the remains of this fascinating habitat. But not only the moor areas with their magnificent bird life are waiting to be discovered. Likewise picturesque river landscapes, purple blooming heather areas and old pastoral forests belong to the very special protected areas of the int. Naturpark Bourtanger Moor – Veenland.

In addition to species and biotope protection, the focus of the area’s management is also on sustainable development of the cross-border region. Networking is achieved through environmental education, funding projects and a nature-friendly touristic offering, which also ensures the preservation of their homeland for future generations.

You can find all information about the park here.

Transboundary Parks Programme

Nature knows no borders, yet borders create artificial barriers to the management of valuable natural resources. That is why EUROPARC Federation draws special attention to transboundary cooperation through The EUROPARC Transboundary Parks Programme “Following Natures Design” and Certificate to support a process of mutual understanding.  The Transboundary Parks Network or TransParcNet that has emerged from this transboundary work, is a living library of professional experience and best practice.

You can find more info on Transboundary Cooperation in our knowledge hub when clicking here:

On the 30th of January 2020, the first online meeting in the LIFE e-Natura2000.edu project took place. How did this strange year fare for the project?

Article issued by Neil McIntosh, LIFE e-Natura2000.edu project leader for EUROPARC

One year ago, on 30 January 2020, EUROPARC launched our LIFEedu course, ‘Competent Inclusive Communication’. Part of the LIFEe-Natura2000.edu preparatory project, twenty-three Natura 2000 managers from 19 countries were introduced to the course and each other in our first ‘Zebinar’, our name for a ZOOM webinar.

Excitement, mixed with a few nerves and perhaps a little bit of trepidation! Who else is in our group? What will be involved? How will ‘blended learning’ work? What lies ahead?

No one could have predicted how much our lives would change. Life as we knew it were about to change, perhaps for ever. Daily routines in work and at home were turned upside down. Nothing stayed the same.

Yet, our group and their peers in two other LIFEedu groups in Spain and Romania, rose to the challenge.

EUROPARC Team members Fernando Pinillos, Teresa Pastor and Neil McIntosh gather in Colserolla, January 2020, to shoot the LIFEedu film materials.

The course as an anchor

In a radically altered world, it was as if the courses and the structured routine of meeting with colleagues across Europe became a lifeline. LIFEedu gave them an ‘out’, something for themselves and their co-learners: our groups of participants took comfort from the fact that they were not alone. The courses inspired new ideas. Learning creatively together gave each person an alternative, something to focus on other than the trials of new realities.

Throughout the course, EUROPARC’s group has repeatedly expressed their appreciation for the new learning opportunities and their online contacts.

For project partners and participants alike, the experience gains from the project are certain to leave a lasting legacy. The need for and value of the online (net-) working and practical capacity building for nature managers have demonstrated that, without doubt, blended learning is here to stay.

The eNatura2000 app!

Within the project, an app was developed to provide a place for Natura2000 managers to connect, learn and discuss, wherever, whenever.

The app is available on Google Play and App Store!

With eNatura2000, users will be able to discuss issues and difficulties that arise in the management of Natura 2000 lands, and get inspired by existing best practices and solutions. Developed by EUROPARC with 5 partner organisations from around Europe, this practical tool will make networking across regions, countries, and land types for Natura2000 managers easy and enjoyable.

At the EUROPARC Federation we know the importance of effective communications. Especially in an international field, good English skills are essential. Through our new partnership, you can now improve your English skills with this exclusive offer: One month of free Gymglish lessons.

Was it your New Year’s Resolution to learn a new language? Then EUROPARC has got you covered. We have partnered up with Gymglish, an online language learning platform that provides fun, personalised, language courses.

This method of microlearning can be integrated into even the busiest of schedules: with just 10 minutes a day Gymglish improves your language skills. Just like any muscle, a little exercise will keep it healthy. Gymglish will give you a chance to exercise your “language muscles” in a friendly and easy environment.

A daily lesson is delivered in your inbox or through the Gymglish app on your phone or tablet, allowing you to learn anytime, anywhere, with ease. Personalized content that takes into account the impact of time and our own human forgetfulness, assures maximum effectiveness and learning in the long run.

Exclusive offer

As a networking organisation, EUROPARC is always looking for ways to improve international communication. When following this link, you can sign up for a free one month trial to improve your English skills.

During the trial, you will receive daily lessons. The free trial includes a complete level assessment, to ensure that the lessons are tailored to your needs. In the lessons you will follow the story of “Bruno Delavigne”, allowing you to improve your English in a playful way. After completing your daily lesson, you’ll immediately receive personalized corrections and explanations. Through this, Gymglish makes learning a language easy, fun and effective. Once you have finished the course, you will get a certificate of completion.

Go to the exclusive offer here

Improve your English skills AND support EUROPARC

EUROPARC will receive a commission for every person that signs, via the EUROPARC offer, with Gygmlish after the trial period. This money is put towards strengthening and developing EUROPARC’s programmes, serving our members and lobbying for the work of Parks and Protected Areas in Europe. Please consider this as you choose to continue a Gymglish subscription.

Learning a language wherever you are

Working for nature, means always being on the go. Gymglish fits into a busy lifestyle easily. Either through email or the Gymglish app,  these short, daily 10 minute lessons will be delivered to you on your phone, laptop or tablet, allowing you to improve your English skills, whenever, wherever. Additionally, you can set up for which five days a week you want to receive your English lessons and schedule in possible vacations. This will not affect your attendance

Special features for members

Everyone can sign up for the free trial month. After finishing this, you will have the option to sign up to continue learning. When doing so, we urge EUROPARC members to please state their member organisation, as we are working on exclusive features for our members, like special online discussions and workshops to practice.

Gymglish in a nutshell

To better understand how Gymglish works, check out the following video:

So, let’s get 2021 off to a great start and make use of this exclusive EUROPARC offer now. The offer can be found permanently on our website here.

Every year, the EUROPARC journal ‘Protected Areas In-Sight’ brings you the highlights of our annual Conference and best practice on a wide range of topics, relevant for all nature and protected area professionals. You can now read the 12th edition online!

Read the new edition of Protected Areas In-Sight!

In this year’s edition of the Protected Areas In-Sight journal, we asked ourselves and our contributing authors about Our Future: How ready are we?

Following the topic of the EUROPARC Online Conference 2020, the journal explores the main challenges, impacts and opportunities that the unprecedented year of 2020 brought to Protected Areas and nature professionals around Europe. In the new design, we also tried to reflect one of the main challenges of last year: the fact that EUROPARC, same as our members and partners, had to move all their face-to-face activities from out in nature into the online world.

While it might not be possible to predict the future, the publication highlights the importance of capacity building in getting more ‘future-ready’.

The journal provides deeper insights into topics such as EU Policy, Climate change, Youth, Marine environment and plenty others. You can get inspiration to tackle the challenges of your Protected Area from experienced park managers, project leaders, or for example from a park’s Youth Advisory Board.

Open the pdf by clicking on the image.

Download the online version now!

The Protected Areas In-Sight is now available online and you can choose from 3 different languages: English, German and French. We wish you happy and insightful reading!

Printed copies will be soon on their way to our members, sections, council and partners, so the Journal should land in your mailboxes in the coming weeks. If you are none of the above and wish to receive a printed version, drop us an e-mail to communications@europarc.org.

Read all the previous editions of the Protected Areas In-Sight here!