Current status of Alpine ecological networks
2.6 Linking policy, science and implementation – The Platform Ecological Network of the Alpine Convention
// Bettina HEDDEN-DUNKHORST //
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Division of International Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany
// Marie-Odile GUTH//
Ministry of Environment, Energy and the Sea, Paris, France
2.6.1 Background and objectives
The Alpine Convention, an international treaty be-tween eight Alpine countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland) and the European Union, became effective in 1995.
The convention provides a framework for cooperation aiming to promote sustainable development by balanc-ing environmental protection, economic growth, and social welfare in the Alpine space. Details for the imple-mentation of the convention are specified in nine pro-tocols that primarily relate to: environmental protec-tion and nature conservaprotec-tion, planning and manage-ment, economic activities (farming, forestry, tourism) as well as energy and transport. The Protocol of Nature and Landscape Protection aims to foster measures to protect and – where necessary – restore nature and the landscape and to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functions in the Alpine region. Article 12 of the proto-col relates to establishing an eproto-cological network and calls upon contracting Parties to “pursue the measures appropriate for creating a national and cross-border network of protected areas, biotopes and other envi-ronmental assets protected or acknowledged as worthy of protection.” This protocol, especially Article 12, laid the foundation for the establishment of the Platform Ecological Network that was decided upon at the 9th Alpine Conference in Alpbach (Austria) in November 2006. Since then, the Platform has been chaired by Germany and France, two member states that continu-ously supported activities concerning biodiversity con-servation and ecological connectivity in the context of the Alpine Convention.
The Platform brings together subject matter experts from all member states of the Alpine Convention, re-search organisations and NGOs to serve as a core group.
It aims to foster exchange, cooperation and implemen-tation related to ecological connectivity in member states, across borders and in the Alps as a whole. More specifically, the Platform seeks to gather, discuss and expose best practice and to support project activities
for the implementation of an ecological network. It further encourages and supports connectivity related research and provides a forum to discuss methodologi-cal approaches. Beyond this, the Platform provides information on the importance and potential of con-nectivity measures to stakeholder and the public and contributes to capacity building and awareness-raising.
The Platform operates on the basis of a mandate that, upon further demand, is renewed every two years after approval by the Alpine Conference of the Parties. The biennial mandate allows for stock taking of progress achieved, priority setting and adjusting the focus ac-cording to new developments.
2.6.2 Selected activities and achievements
Since its inauguration in 2007, the Platform Ecological Network has supported and partly initiated a number of key activities. One of them is the preparation of a
“Catalogue of possible measures to improve ecologi-cal connectivity in the Alps” (Kohler et al. 2011). The catalogue describes and briefly analyses more than 70 measures related to different sectors (agriculture, forestry, tourism, education, spatial planning and more) and comprehensively illustrates the potential to imple-ment connectivity in practice. In addition, the Platform supported the compilation of several subject matter publications and informational material for various stakeholders.
An important impetus for advancing the concept of connectivity is given by related projects and initiatives.
Since the beginning of the last decade, a number of projects have been carried out by different environ-mental organisations – some of them being repre-sented in the Platform. The project “ECONNECT – Re-storing the Web of Life” (2009 – 2011), carried out by 16 partner organisations across the Alps – and primarily funded by the European Union (EU) – was one of the largest projects. It was followed by other EU supported
1
4 2
5 3
Measures in favour of ecological connectivity along a highway in the Alps-Carpathians-Corridor area visited by the members of the Platform Ecological Network.
projects for example “recharge.green – Balancing Al-pine Energy and Nature” and “greenAlps – Connecting Mountains People Nature”. In parallel, several trans-boundary connectivity related projects - also co-funded in part by the EU- as well as national and regional Alpine initiatives were carried out. The Platform sup-ports project activities in different aspects, as analytical observers or by promoting the distribution and imple-mentation of their results.
ECONNECT worked with a set of Pilot Regions in order to test connectivity measures and instruments developed within the framework of the project. Each Pilot Region consisted of a protected area and its sur-roundings, and most of them were transboundary. To recognise the achievements of the Pilot Regions and to encourage other regions to strengthen ecological connectivity in their territory, the Platform decided to develop and set up a mechanism to nominate Pilot Regions of Ecological Connectivity of the Alpine Con-vention. Subsequently, eight regions have been nomi-nated, and further regions are invited to become part of the network that supports implementation at local to regional levels. Being linked to these levels also helps to ground the Platform’s work.
2.6.3 Added value
This publication, apart from demonstrating the activi-ties and results reached in more than ten years of ef-forts to foster ecological connectivity in the Alps, also illustrates that establishing an ecological network in the Alpine space is a stepwise process that requires
constant adaptations and the involvement of many actors and institutions at different levels. In this con-text, the Platform Ecological Network – apart from the above mentioned contributions – adds value by linking policy, science and implementation. This pro-vides an opportunity to channel knowledge, research results, experiences and policy proposals to decision makers. Moreover, because the Platform is part of the Alpine Convention, the multi-national level can be reached, which is specifically important in the context of ecological connectivity, as species require habitats and migration corridors across borders. The Platform also facilitates linkage to related initiatives beyond the Alps (for example EU Green Infrastructure, the Green Belt Initiative, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Carpathian Convention and more) and thereby enhances exchange of expertise and mutual learning.
Last but not least, not being a project with a limited life span but rather an entity in the framework of an inter-national treaty is a clear advantage of the Platform. It guarantees continuity in the process of establishing an ecological network.
2.6.4 Looking ahead – Exploring further opportunities
However, making better use of added values is still a challenge for the Platform, particularly as human re-sources are limited and Platforms or Working Groups of the Alpine Convention are not endowed with financial resources. New opportunities are expected from the Convention’s efforts to foster coopera-tion between its Platforms and Working Groups and thereby support a more holistic and less sectoral ap-proach. This is of particular relevance for the Platform Ecological Network that, by working on a cross-cut-ting topic, relates to a number of subjects elaborated in various Platforms and Working Groups of the Con-vention (for example large carnivores, wild ungulates and society; transport; natural hazards; water man-agement; agriculture; forestry; sustainable tourism).
Opportunities also arise from the Convention’s efforts to promote a green economy in the Alps, as measures to advance an ecological network address various eco-nomic sectors and, at the same time, have a potential to contribute to a greening of the economy. The re-cently established EU Macroregional Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) creates additional opportuni-ties to promote the development of an ecological net-work in and beyond the Alps, particularly because an Action Group on connectivity has been put in place.
This may also open up further EU funding sources and invites new actors to foster the process.
1
4 2
5 3
As Director of the Styrian Provincial Forests, you participated actively in the establishment of the “Netzwerk Naturwald” (natural forest network) project, which aims to create eco-logical connectivity across provincial borders between two national parks. What was most important for you during the first steps?
The two large protected areas, Kalkalpen National Park (about 20,000 hectare) and Gesäuse National Park (about 12,000 hectare) have designated size-able core zones (unmanaged areas) as areas with a high degree of naturalness and undisturbed development potential for classic habitats such as broad-leafed old growth (with corresponding sensitive flora and fauna). So one can think of our first “nature forest” cell of 40 hectares as a con-necting line or stepping-stone.
In addition to recognising its value as a natural area, the (Kalkalpen NP) partner's clear commit-ment to nature conservation by contract – and so the fact that there was compensation for setting aside the land (irrespective of the actual amount of money involved) – was decisive in our willing-ness to contribute the area.
What is the role of the Styrian Provincial Forests in creating ecological networks of protected areas?
Our role was in setting an example and providing an initial spark for potential future area designa-tions. I should mention that voluntary measures of protection and land sparing of suitable areas are also being contemplated.
In general, what is the role of forestry in this context? How can it contribute?
The role of forestry can indeed be one of partner-ship with nature conservation, providing a solid foundation of expertise in the area (for example by implementation of technical monitoring activities, but not research). Foresters can contribute field knowledge, many years of documented knowledge about hunting areas, and of public acceptance.
What do you feel is especially difficult when establishing such networks?
The use of forest spatial planning could be both obstructive and useful: Areas that are taken out of use could (should) be offset by other areas with sustainable use! Meaning not every hectare has to be managed for maximum profit, not every hunting area needs a contractual protection status.
For economic reasons, however, land that is used also needs a meaningful spatial connection (a net-work), just like their counterparts, the so-called
“stepping stone ecosystems”. But the general prob-lem remains long term funding security (even an unused area costs taxes and has maintenance costs!).
What would your advice be to other areas where such networks are to be established?
Keep the communication going and discuss goals jointly. Involve the landowners; they have to be taken seriously. A partnership approach – be wary of the “expert mischief” of NGOs that want to profile themselves on others’ property.
Interview with
// DI Andreas HOLZINGER //
Director, Styrian Provincial Forests Service, Admont, Austria
Box 2: Ecological connectivity across provincial borders
(Netzwerk Naturwald)
1
4 2
5 3
Because of your many years working towards ecological connectivity in the Berchtesgaden region you have a lot of experience in network-ing with various local stakeholders. What is the best way to start building such stakeholder networks?
There are no recipes. It is important to analyse the complexity of the question or topic. Mono-thematic questions tend to lead to single individ-uals, multi-thematic questions to several people that sometimes also have some kind of relation-ship to one another. You have to be willing to invest a lot of time to find a personal connection through meeting and talking processes, and eventually to find common ground for all the concerned parties. Then I am able to bring them together around a table and to negotiate things in a positive communicative atmosphere and to get to a result that is carried by everyone. It´s not the organisations and institutions that have to act together, but their representatives, people like you and me.
How can one get the local population interested in the sometimes rather abstract topics of ecological connectivity?
It is very important to translate the results of projects and studies into the language and thinking of the people who live there, using examples that they are familiar with and know from their daily life. For this you need excellent communication skills, a lot of imagination, and the conviction and tenacity to stay on topic. Ideally you get outside support and don´t have to go it alone.
In Berchtesgaden was it possible to bring about a general appreciation of biodiversity and ecosys-tem services? If so, how?
Yes, I think so. Local people know exactly from their daily lives and work that together one can achieve more and that there can be an added value for them from this. It is the same for biodiversity and ecosystem services. If you have a protected area with the principal goal of conserving biodiversity and natural processes at your doorstep, from which you get services and, in addition, many visitors and tourists, then as a protected area manager you have to be able to clearly illustrate this added value for the region. As a consequence one can assign a purely people-centred monetary value to this protected area with its biodiversity and its eco-system services – and this leads to a feeling of belonging to a distinctive region with something special. But this does not happen by itself. For this you need research for your database, com-munication for implementation, readiness to act as service provider (for example with offers of a well maintained trail network), solid educational activities (guided tours and environmental edu-cation events), and you also have to realise that the region with its protected area is also people´s home, and their living and economic space.
Interview with
// Dr. Michael VOGEL //
Director National Park Berchtesgaden, Berchtesgaden, Germany
Box 3: Working with stakeholders in the Pilot Region
Berchtesgaden-Salzburg
1
4 2
5 3
How does working with stakeholders affect im-plementation measures for ecological connec-tivity in practical terms?
We have actually reached a point where we no longer have to discuss the need for or the mean-ing of ecological networks. It has become com-monly accepted opinion that such connectivity has many advantages, and also that you have to do something for it. Together with the communi-ties, the state administrations, various (nature-) user groups and private interest groups, we have implemented many results from projects on ecological connectivity, creating legally binding practices, but also voluntary actions. We have redesigned the landscape and land use plans of municipalities and created an overall landscape master plan with set measures at set points. This is the result of consensus, and all the actors I mentioned implement these measures in their respective areas of responsibility. These may be, for example, more extensive agricultural practices with and without state compensation, arrange-ments for land use or settlement development, and active species conservation and management measures. We have also built infrastructure for visitors and inhabitants, such as a cross-border thematic trail on ecological connectivity. Such actions are taken without a lot of bureaucracy, sometimes a bit “unofficially”, but always results- and task-oriented.
What would you recommend to other regions that may just be starting out with the establish-ment of ecological networks? Where does one start, what is most important?
The local situation matters a great deal. Such networks always include representatives of very different organisations, administrations and social groups. All of them have to be willing and able to listen to one another, they have to
be willing to compromise, and, importantly, they have to be entitled to make decisions. And even after difficult discussions it has to be possible to have a beer together afterwards. After all we are always talking about people dealing with people.
Viewed from the technical point you need an organisation/individual who takes the lead, who provides the process with content, numbers, data, and facts. It is important to keep repeating that we do not live by the power from the socket, but that we depend on our natural foundations for life.
These we have to conserve, promote, or improve.
And here we are again, back to biodiversity, eco-system services and ecological connectivity.
What would be the most important next steps in Berchtesgaden?
My answer may not surprise you. We have a number of larger, quite costly measures on our wish list. At the moment all of us, each in their area of responsi-bility, are looking for suitable projects and/or funds to carry out these plans. I can promise that we will all sit around the table again to shape the imple-mentation of new connectivity measures.
During the ECONNECT project, measures to improve ecological connectivity for various fish species were realised on the River Saletbach between the Königssee and the Oberseelakes in the National Park Berchtes-gaden. Further actions are currently realised in this area, also in cooperation with the local fishermen.