EUROPARC joins the REDPARQUES Regional Council 2026
Group photo taken in Colombia for the Consejo Regional de Red Parques En Colombia
EUROPARC Director Alberto Arroyo Schnell, EUROPARC Vice-President Marta Múgica and Andrea Gennai from Federparchi EUROPARC Italia joined the Consejo Regional of RedParques in Colombia. This visit followed the signing of the Declaration of Commitment between EUROPARC and REDPARQUES at the EUROPARC Conference last year, and is a further step towards closer cooperation.
About REDPARQUES
Marta Múgica, Alberto Arroyo Schnell and Andrea Gennai in Colombia
REDPARQUES is a Latin American network of Protected Areas that champions their vital role as natural solutions to climate change by helping to stabilise greenhouse gas levels. Its Regional Council fosters dialogue, experience sharing, and strategic coordination among 23 member countries.
In 2014, REDPARQUES adopted the Latin American Declaration on Protected Areas and Climate Change at COP 21. This declaration calls for stronger management of Protected Areas and the integration of biodiversity conservation with climate policies, emphasising how forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems sequester carbon and protect local communities.
Launching Cooperation Across Oceans
In October 2025, during the EUROPARC Conference, EUROPARC and REDPARQUES signed a Declaration of Commitment to connect Protected Areas across oceans. This marked the first step towards formalising collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reflecting shared objectives in biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and capacity building.
Strengthening the partnership
In March 2026, the EUROPARC delegation travelled to Colombia to:
- Sign the commitment towards the Memorandum of Understanding between REDPARQUES and EUROPARC
- Establish contacts with key Protected Area umbrella organisations across Latin America
- Explore opportunities for collaboration
The EUROPARC delegation included Director Alberto Arroyo Schnell; EUROPARC Vice-President and Director of EUROPARC Spain, Marta Múgica; and Andrea Gennai, representing Federparchi (EUROPARC Italian Section) as Chair of the Council of Italian Park Directors.
This exchange mission brought together REDPARQUES, the EUROPARC Federation, Federparchi/EUROPARC Italia, AICS Bogotá (South America office), and the European Union. The group engaged in fruitful discussions on governance, ecotourism, and international cooperation, aimed at reinforcing the role of Protected Areas.
The mission facilitated the sharing of experiences and strategic programmes, opening new avenues for cooperation in management, sustainable ecotourism, and governance.
Alberto Arroyo Schnell meets Ecuatorian Vice Minister of Environment Alicia Jaramillo
Formalising the alliance
The Memorandum of Understanding between EUROPARC Federation and REDPARQUES signed on March 17, 2026, during the REDPARQUES Regional Council launch in Bogotá, Colombia
The commitment towards the Memorandum of Understanding between EUROPARC Federation and REDPARQUES was signed on March 17, 2026, during the REDPARQUES Regional Council launch in Bogotá, Colombia. It was signed by Hilda Angel, REDPARQUES Regional Coordinator, and Alberto Arroyo Schnell, EUROPARC Director. Four honorary witnesses also supported the agreement: Edith Bastidas Calderón, Colombia’s Deputy Minister of the Environment; Luis Olmedo Martínez, General Director of Colombia’s National Parks; Agustín Zimmerman, FAO Representative in Colombia; and François Roudié, EU Ambassador to Colombia.
This MoU signals a strong commitment to collaboration between both entities and follows previously initiated collaboration, as a joint webinar was organised in spring 2025 and co-led by EUROPARC and REDPARQUES. The MoU includes a first work plan with cooperation actions related to knowledge exchange, as well as joint policy and communication activities. Many specific actions were identified during the meeting, including formal joint participation and presentations of both regional networks during the upcoming World Parks Congress in Panama in 2027.
Expanding cooperation through AMAZONIA+
In the context of this trip, organised under the AMAZONIA+ programme coordinated by the Italian Development Cooperation Agency (AICS) and Federparchi/EUROPARC Italia, several important meetings took place. A strong willingness to work together in the future was the common theme, and many opportunities for collaboration emerged.
Andrea Gennai and Alberto Arroyo Schnell meet Italian Ambassador in Ecuador Giovanni Davoli
The EUROPARC & Federparchi/EUROPARC Italia delegation met in Bogotá (Colombia) with Sandra Valenzuela, Director of WWF Colombia; Luisz Olmedo Martínez, General Director of Colombia’s National Natural Parks; and François Roudié, EU Ambassador to Colombia. In Quito (Ecuador), they met with Giovanni Davoli, Italian Ambassador to Ecuador; Pedro Ponce, from the EU Embassy in Ecuador; Gabriel Quijandria, Regional Director of the IUCN South America Regional Office; and Tarsicio Granizo, Director of WWF Ecuador.
Finally, a meeting with Alicia Jaramillo, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Republic of Ecuador, together with Byron Adrian Lagla Chimba, Director of Protected Areas at the Ministry, again demonstrated the strong interest of national authorities in strengthening ties with EUROPARC.
Alberto, Marta and Andrea meet EU Ambassador in Colombia, François Roudié
Looking Ahead
This strategic partnership underlines EUROPARC’s core belief that nature is best managed across borders. We look forward to intensifying cooperation with REDPARQUES to address biodiversity loss and climate challenges through our Parks and Protected Areas, working together for a sustainable future. The next steps include the upcoming Amazon Week in Europe and next year’s World Parks Congress, where EUROPARC and REDPARQUES will be present together.