In memoriam. Dr Arthur Mitchell

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One man made a difference

EUROPARC learned of the sad passing of Dr Arthur Mitchell of the Mourne Heritage Trust. Arthur was an esteemed Alfred Toepfer Medal winner, honouring his long-term commitment, participatory approach and success in developing conservation of Protected Areas, in Northern Ireland.

A retired Medical doctor, peoples‘ participation was at the core of the community networks he initiated to protect and enhance natural landscapes ensuring income-generating opportunities through sustainable tourism and other activities. It was his unstinting commitment and dedicated approach that by fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors, which led to the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, becoming the first UK protected area to be awarded the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas. His focus and vision were also instrumental in Northern Irish rural areas acquiring support from the EU’s peace fund in 2004.

He was a well loved and respected member of the EUROPARC family, and his legacy, vision, humanity, belief in people and commitment to protected landscapes, will live on through the many he inspired.

EUROPARC sends our deepest condolences to all at the Mourne Heritage Trust and Dr Mitchell’s family and friends

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The EUROPARC Task Force is working to promote adaptation in Protected Areas

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In the framework of LIFE Natur’Adapt, the EUROPARC Task Force on Climate Change works to provide advice and promote adaptation to climate change within the European network of Protected Areas. After nearly two years of online work, its members met for the first time in the flesh for a two-day working session in Brussels.

Developing tools for managers

This meeting allowed the authors of the methodologies LIFE Natur’Adapt and EUROPARC-Spain Manual 13 (links below) to exchange views on their respective approaches regarding climate change adaptation in Protected Areas. The approaches are well aligned and there is an obvious interest in developing a common tool that could be used by all Protected Areas in Europe and thus avoid each member state redoing work that has already been done elsewhere.

The Task Force experts have also been actively developing the foundation of an argumentation on the role of Protected Natural Areas in local climate change adaptation plans. Additionally, they worked on the design of a toolkit to facilitate the integration of climate change into management practices for Protected Areas. The results of this work are scheduled to be published after the summer of 2022.

Working with the European Commission

In parallel, an informal, open and constructive exchange took place with experts from the European Commission. The meeting allowed Task Force members to share perspectives from the field. A case study from the Netherlands, presented by Myrthe Fonck (PWN), showed that natural solutions such as dynamic dune management can bring co-benefits for nature conservation and climate change adaptation. This was followed by a presentation from Ainhize Butron, who works for Ihobe, the Basque Country’s environmental agency. She presented the regional perspective on how EU texts (directives, laws, strategies, …) concretely influence laws at national and regional level in Spain. She demonstrated that by highlighting the role of forests in the European Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation, the restoration of this particular ecosystem has attracted the attention of local politicians to the detriment of other habitats such as wetlands, grasslands or rivers…

Ihobe’s work highlighted that it is important to implement climate change adaptation within the N2000 network itself, but also in surrounding areas. Improving the quality of nature outside Protected Areas will help mitigate the negative effects of climate change. In parallel, examples such as energy transition strategies, show that their impacts on land use and biodiversity can be detrimental. That is why it is essential to integrate nature as a stakeholder in the design of adaptation and mitigation plans.

The open discussion that followed was very rich and will contribute to shaping the revised guidelines for climate change adaptation in Natura 2000 areas.

Exchanging and learning together

A study visit was organised to the beautiful Forêt de Soignes, which is a periurban Natura 2000 site and includes UNESCO World Heritage sites. The head of forest management, Frederik Vaes, Bruxelles Environnement, showed his European colleagues how the management of the beech forest is adapted to increase the functional resilience of the ecosystem in the future. A case study will follow in 2022.

The meeting provided the Task Force with many new inputs and was an important addition to the work already done online.

More information

Photo Credit: Frédéric Demeuse

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Protected and Conserved Areas Joint Statement on Climate Change and Biodiversity Crises at COP26

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The climate and biodiversity crisis are two sides of the same coin, and future generations are paying the price. It is our Parks and Protected Areas that hold the solutions to these challenges. This is why EUROPARC has signed a joint statement at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) taking place in Glasgow, UK.

The COP26 is a crucial event in the battle to save our planet. As the climate and biodiversity crises become more urgent, the EUROPARC Federation and other leading organisations in charge of some of the largest tracts of Protected Landscapes and Marine Environments across the world have come together for the first time to call on world leaders to support their work at the vanguard of the fight against Climate Change and Biodiversity loss. Orchestrated by National Parks UK, as host nation for COP26, the statement has been signed by, amongst others, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)/ World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), US National Parks Service and Parks and Wildlife Finland.

James Stuart, Convener of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park and architect of the statement commented:

In the fight against biodiversity loss and climate emergency, if we fail here, we will fail everywhere. We’re star players, don’t leave us on the bench.

The statement was launched at COP26 as part of the Youth and Public Empowerment Day. This event, organized by the UK Government, presented youth and community led nature-based solutions and it culminated with a signing of the document. Catriona Manders, Youth Committee & Junior Ranger, at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs opened and signed the statement on behalf of the future generations.

Read the statement here:

Protected and Conserved Areas Joint Statement on Climate Change and Biodiversity Crises

Protected Areas hold the solutions

“The Parks and Protected Areas of Europe stand united for nature alongside our colleagues across the world. Our natural heritage holds the key to solving the challenges presented by the climate and biodiversity crises.

We need Parks, their staff, their communities, partners and stakeholders and importantly our “army” of Junior Rangers to make the transfer from words to actions.

We call on global leaders to invest in the natural solutions that Protected Areas can deliver.

Only then will new ideas, thinking and approaches emerge that will enable us to create a better future.”

States EUROPARC’s Executive Director Carol Ritchie.

What does this mean for Protected Areas?

When battling climate change and biodiversity loss, Parks and Protected Areas, and the organisations that protect them, need to take on a central role. The statement reads: ‘Protected and Conserved Areas need to be brought into the centre of the work to resolve the climate change and biodiversity loss crises. Protected and Conserved Areas’ capabilities should be leveraged to direct transformative levels of investment in nature-based solutions; and their connections and importance to cultures, communities and visitors should be harnessed to unlock and demonstrate the opportunities for vast behavioural change.

Protected Areas across the world are well placed to support, and even lead on, the green ambitions of global leaders. The statement underlines that National Parks and Protected Areas are the very first places where the connection with nature begins, hence we need to begin from them to find solutions to the biodiversity and climate crises affecting our planet. To do this, the signing parties call for not only designation and protection, but also conservation and restoration of nature, along with investment, recognition and inclusion in decision making.

The statement clearly articulates the role of Protected Areas to accelerate the positive impact of their collective work. Specifically, a commitment to:

“Focus on aspects of our work that drive scale of impact and benefit, including:

  • Collaborate and exchange knowledge internationally,
  • Lever and build our connections with billions of people (visitors and supporters) and communities to inspire behavioural change,
  • Support a global movement for the deployment and implementation of nature-based solutions at scale, and
  • Inspire and enable those working outside the protected landscapes by linking with initiatives outside our boundaries and sharing our experiences.’

If we are to win the battle against climate change and biodiversity loss, we must first win it in these Protected and Conserved Areas.

Show your support!

EUROPARC has long believed in the central role Protected Areas need to take on to address the different challenges our society faces. As the largest network of Protected Areas across Europe, we aim to support and celebrate the work of our members. Now, we ask you to join us as we call upon world leaders to #UniteForNature. “Make some noise” and use #UniteForNature across social media to show your support of this statement.

Founding signatories to the statement include:

  • Bureau of Land Management (USA)
  • Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas
  • European Ranger Federation
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  • Israel Nature and Parks Authority
  • IUCN/WCPA
  • Korea National Park Service
  • The National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA)
  • National Park Service (USA)
  • National Parks UK
  • Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic
  • NatureScot
  • New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service
  • Nigeria National Park Service
  • Parks and Wildlife Finland
  • Parks Australia
  • Parks Canada
  • Sabah Parks
  • Quebec-Labrador Foundation/Atlantic Center for the Environment
  • South African National Parks
  • US Bureau of Reclamation
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • US Forest Service
  • World Urban Parks

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Next EUROPARC Webinar: Creating bee-friendly cities – How can we bring pollinators back to our urban areas?

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Pollinators like bees are the health check of our ecosystem. As such, their decline in recent years is alarming for numerous reasons. Pollinators are an important component of biodiversity and essential for the survival of 84% of our crop species. To halt their decline it is therefore of great importance that, in highly urbanised Europe, cities implement pollinator friendly measures.

In this webinar, we will discover what Brussels (BE) and Utrecht (NL) are doing to support pollinators in returning and thriving in cities. In particular, we will look at the importance of welcoming wild bees back into our towns. The webinar will address the challenges in choosing the right plants and nesting materials for these pollinators, as well as the importance of well-functional ecological infrastructure in cities, for healthy ecosystems and the well-being of urban dwellers.

This webinar is part of the LIFE UrbanGreeningPlans project. In the new EU Biodiversity Strategy, European cities encompassing over 20.000 inhabitants are called upon to create Urban Greening Plans. These plans are designed to bring nature back into cities, support biodiversity and mitigate climate change. This LIFE preparatory project aims to address the problems cities face in the creation of these plans.

Programme

Welcome and Introduction to the webinar
By Esther Bossink – EUROPARC´s Communications Officer.

Setting the Scene
By Etienne Aulotte – Head of department – Nature & Agriculture development at Environment Brussels, Belgium.
Implementing an EU pollinators strategy at regional level is always a challenge. On the one hand, due to the strong pressure on biodiversity and green areas suffered by urbanized regions, such as the Brussels region, with more than 1,2 millions inhabitants. On the other hand, because the pollinators strategy needs to be well balanced and compatible with other ongoing regional strategies – like nature, water management and food strategies.

Why we urgently need a pollinators perspective in developing ecological infrastructures?
By Prof. Nicolas J. Vereecken – Agroecology Lab, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium.
The honey bee (Apis mellifera) was traditionally put forward as an « umbrella » species, but recent research calls for increased attention on wild pollinators, particularly the overlooked diversity of wild bees, each with its own ecological requirements (specific food plants, nesting sites, etc.). Nicolas will explain how cities must build up on the current knowledge about the ecological requirements of these « forgotten pollinators » to efficiently promote Green Infrastructure with Nature Based Solutions that encompass healthy ecosystems and contribute to the well-being of urban dwellers.

How Utrecht became the bee-friendliest municipality in The Netherlands.
By Gitty Korsuize – Urban ecologist, Municipality of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
In this presentation, we will get to know the measures used to make Utrecht more bee-friendly. Gitty will detail the smart procurement process that led to green roofs on bus stops and one of the largest bee-hotels in the world. Additionally, she will highlight how Utrecht is maintaining their green areas to support pollinators, and explain which obstacles they had to overcome in their organisation.

Let’s talk about it…
All participants will have the opportunity to exchange on the topic and/or ask questions.

Get to know the speakers

Etienne Aulotte – Head of department – Nature & Agriculture development at Environment Brussels, Belgium.
Bioengineer with 20 years of experience in environmental issues, Etienne Aulotte is since 2008 head of the department Nature and Agriculture Department at Brussels Environment, responsible for the implementation of the regional nature plan and the deployment of small agro-ecological projects within the cities.

Nicolas Vereecken – Associate Professor Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium.
Specialised in Agroecology and Entomology, Nicolas participates in several international research projects on bees and other pollinators. Since 2016, he has been actively involved in the International Master Programme on Agroecology and the first European Bee Course, aimed at young researchers willing to improve their taxonomic and ecological skills on wild bees.

Gitty Korsuize – Advisor urban greenery and nature, Municipality of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Gitty is an urban ecologist, working for 20 years, as an advisor of the Municipality of Utrecht. Gitty likes connecting people with nature, nature with people and people with an interest in nature with each other. She sees opportunities to preserve and enhance nature everywhere. She is currently the Chair of Eurocities Working Group on Green Areas and Biodiversity.

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