Thursday 21 October was an intense day for the ALPARC network General Assembly! Significantly it had gathered managers of the Alpine protected areas of all alpine countries

Adoption of the New Working Schedule

Several points were on the day’s agenda, in particular the validation of the network’s new working programme, which defines the main thematic and strategic directions of cooperation between protected areas for the coming two years.

This new programme was based on, among other things, the responses to a questionnaire sent to all the members of the network at the beginning of the year. Its aim was to gather a certain amount of information which included the working priorities of the APA. Link to the results of the analysis of these questionnaires.

An Unanimously Adopted Resolution

Next, in view of the current reappraisal of the legal statute of the coordinating team of the ALPARC network, the Task Force Protected Areas, which is presently attached to the Permanent secretariat of the Alpine Convention, all present protected areas of the network signed a resolution for the maintaining of the “status quo” of this attachment.

Improving the Functioning of the Thematic Working Groups

The day ended with a meeting of all the leaders of the ALPARC working groups, thanks to which it is possible to foresee a “formal” commitment by them, with the setting up of a sort of partnership convention which would specify the role of the parks involved in the organisation of the activity of these working groups. This should facilitate the involvement and availability of staff for the thematic work inside the network.

Convivial Occasions Favourable to Exchanges

Finally, we must not forget to mention the various convivial occasions, excursions, visits, aperitifs, meals and buffets, brilliantly organised by the Swiss National Park, to whom we insist on extending our warm thanks, and supplemented by the many specialities brought from their regions by the participants! These were valuable occasions which made it possible, outside the working times, to create or re-establish links throughout the Alps, to exchange ideas in an informal setting or to launch new projects and partnerships.

A big “thank you” to everyone!