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How ALPARC works
ALPARC is the network of all protected areas that fall within the scope of the Alpine Convention .
Its members participate in activities, and to what extent, depending on their own needs and fields of interest. The network currently comprises nearly 1,000 protected areas (covering around one quarter of the Alps) and about 100 with an own management structure. About 40 if these organismes is already member of the ALPARC Association.
The network was created so as to be able to carry out joint projects, discuss technical issues, assess the effectiveness of management methods and organise professional meetings and events on a range of subjects, from wildlife management to climate change issues.
- ALPARC's aims are defined by the ALPARC Council.
- All key decisions and the choice of subjects for cooperation are submitted to the General Assembly which is held once every year and brings together representatives from all the Alpine protected areas.
- The Permanent Committee of the Alpine Convention is informed about the ALPARC work programme.
- National monitoring groups support the work of the Task Force and help to implement joint projects through their contacts in the relevant Alpine countries and regions.
As far as possible, ALPARC works in the four Alpine languages, so that everyone is able to express themselves, publish documents and take part in projects in their mother tongue. However, English is sometimes used as a lingua franca to facilitate communication.