AfterAlpineIce / 2026-2029

Managing new ice- and permafrost-free areas in the Alps. Conserving and communicating new ecosystems in Alpine protected areas and beyond.

Climate change affects the Alpine Arc more than almost any other environment, with direct consequences on glaciers mass and distribution, and on the ecosystems around them. Glaciers are not only physical landmarks of the Alps but also key components of mountain environments: as they retreat, hydrological cycles shift, soil formation is affected, and local microclimates change. At the same time, the land exposed by retreating ice gives rise to new ecosystems, and understanding how biodiversity responds to these changes is essential, as they bring ecological and management challenges that have never been faced before. Without clear strategies and measures, these new ice-free areas remain exposed to several threats, some of which can also translate into real risks to people.

The AfterAlpineIce project analyses how this situation is developing, and aims to define new strategies and concrete conservation measures for emerging ice-free areas and their ecosystems. To do this, the project involves several pilot sites in the alpine glacier forefields, at different stages of deglaciation. This diversity helps the partnership better understand the phenomenon, exchange experience, and develop more effective conservation strategies. Alongside this, the project develops communication tools to raise awareness among all relevant stakeholders (such as decisionmakers and renewable energy supplyers) as well as to inform visitors, outdoor practitioners and local populations about potential natural risks. 

Since most Alpine glaciers lie within protected areas, the project brings together a broad partnership of parks, reserves and other sites (which represent the territories where the new strategies will be tested), together with networks of protected areas, scientific institutions, and NGOs. The whole Alpine region is affected by this phenomenon: only shared solutions and strategies will be effective.

Overall objective

AfterAlpineIce aims to promote a shared understanding among concerned actors of the main threats and opportunities for new ice-free areas, and an agreement on long-term goals for management and land-use of glacier forefields. Through the cooperation between Alpine protected areas, concerned local communities and other relevant stakeholders, the project develops Action and Communication Plans with measures to protect and raise awareness about these emerging ecosystems.

Project Partners:

• ALPARC – the Alpine Network of Protected Areas (FR, Lead Partner)
• Asters – Organisation for the conservation of natural areas in Haute-Savoie (FR)
• French Nature Reserves (FR)
• Berchtesgaden National Park Administration (DE)
• Nature park Julian Prealps (IT)
• Adamello Brenta Nature Park Geopark (IT)
• Gran Paradiso National Park (IT)
• CIPRA International Lab GmbH (AT)
• Association of the secretariat of the Hohe Tauern National Park Council (AT)
• Triglav National Park (SI)
• Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL (CH)
• Foundation UNESCO World Heritage Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch(CH)

Countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland

Goals:

• Enable a better understanding of the main threats and chances for new ice-free areas.
• Promote the conservation of the glacier forefields, allowing the development of new primary ecosystems.
• Increase awareness on the glacier retreat phenomenon, including the occurrence of new risks.
• Integrate common Action and Communication plants into Alpine protected area management.

Activities:

• Understand and collect the different monitoring activities for the glaciers and the glacier forefields in the Alps.
• Developing a methodology for the interoperability and comparability of different biodiversity monitoring activities.
• Develop an Alpine Action Plan for the management and conservation of the new ice-free areas.
• Develop a Communication Plan to raise awareness on the topic through the Alps.
• Integrating the results in the concept of the Early Warning System for Alpine biodiversity developed in the AlpsLife project.
• Establishing a glacier observatory for the long-term biodiversity monitoring in glacier forefields.

Target Groups:

• Managers of alpine protected areas affected by glacier retreat
• National and regional public authorities for the environment, agriculture, spatial planning, and water management
• Transalpine organisations (Alpine Convention, EUSALP)
• Research institutions and organisations involved in glacier studies, nature restoration and conservation
• High mountain and Alpine protected areas visitors

Project Duration: September 2026 - August 2029

Total project budget: 2.882.706,25 €

Programme funding: 2.008.047,18 €

More information: AfterAlpineIce website (Interreg Alpine Space Programme)

This project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Alpine Space programme, which supports cross-border cooperation projects between seven Alpine countries.

 Contact: Guido Plassmann guido.plassmann@alparc.org - Michele Guerini michele.guerini@alparc.org - Pietro Merzi pietro.merzi@alparc.org

photo credits: NPHT / Rieder