An international meeting of managers, specialists and NGOs will be held in a small village in the Nizke Tatry National Park in the Slovak Carpathians from 2nd to 4th July 2009. Coming from the Alps, Carpathians and elsewhere, they will deal with the complex and sensitive issue of the large carnivores in the protected areas. The natural return of these species in the Alps and their still very good presence in the Carpathians give this topic a very current touch. The colloquium in Liptovsky Jan / Slovakia should contribute to a better comprehension of the life of these animals, to the increase of the efficiency of their protection as well as to the development of joint strategies for a better acceptation by the concerned local people.

A new ALPARC thematic brochure will be published in the framework of this meeting. The principal issue will be the management of large carnivores in the protected areas of the Alps and Carpathians. One chapter of the brochure will be dedicated to the presentation of good practices of the large carnivores management in the parks.

We invite all the protected areas, which would like to contribute to this brochure, to contact us by e-mail at carpathian-cooperation@alparc.org.

This event is organised in collaboration with the National Park Nizke Tatry / Slovakia and the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic and is financially supported by the German Ministry of Environment, Principalities of Liechtenstein and Monaco and Foundation Heidehof (Germany).