Artykuły w czasopismach na temat „Convention on the Protection of the Alps (Alpine Convention)”

Mountains are perceived as places of biodiversity, as attractive places with breathtaking aesthetic views and epitomized by their unique landscape features. As mountains are the second most demanded outdoor destination category at a global level after beaches and islands, the steady growth of tourism places high pressure on sensitive mountain ecosystems. As can be observed from tourism practice in mountain environments, the distribution of tourism activities is highly uneven. In the Alps, one of the best-known regions with relentless tourism growth, a substantial concentration of tourism intensity can be traced to specific locations and valleys, whereas other parts have to cope with trends of marginalization. In this situation, many concerned stakeholders have long advocated for more balanced economic and tourism development. The initiative of “Mountaineering Villages” promoted by the Alpine Convention is one of a few respective actions to shift perspectives and persuade tourists to engage in sustainable tourism activities. The paper explores how these activities are linked to the balanced use of cultural landscapes and the narratives that are exposed as convincing development models in these regions.

Abstract The focus of this article is on the viability of developing an environmental management regime focused on biodiversity conservation in relation to the Third Pole, specifically the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. The global significance of this region, somewhat neglected in legal scholarship, lies in the fact that, outside the Arctic and Antarctic, it contains more snow and ice than anywhere in the world and hosts the largest reserve of freshwater beyond those regions. Regional cooperative instruments on environmental management outside the region such as the Alpine Convention and the Carpathian Convention are drawn upon as precedents. The transboundary legal framework applicable to the Mekong River is drawn on to spell out the benefits as well as the pitfalls for the establishment of a Third Pole environmental regime on biodiversity conservation. The central argument is that there is a clear need in the Third Pole region to improve collaborative governance and planning frameworks to contend with the challenges of climate change, dam development, water management, resource extraction, infrastructure development and Indigenous/minority rights. It finds that the Mekong regime has failed to deal effectively with the assessment of transboundary environmental effects on biodiversity, or to appropriately involve communities and ngos in the process, and this serves as a major lesson in the design of any Third Pole regime. The article contends that an appropriate biodiversity conservation instrument for the region could take the form of a protocol relating to a regional framework convention on environmental management, with both needing to be developed from the ground up, drawing on the recognized needs of the relevant stakeholders for both environmental protection and equitable utilization.

In addition to cultural heritage values, Kosovo is characterised by natural heritage values; these values identify different areas in Kosovo as potential sites for protection under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) program and the Convention Concerning the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage. These natural values (i.e. geomorphological, hydrological, biodiversity- and ecosystem-related) are found mainly in the massifs of Kosovo’s four mountain ranges, i.e. the Sharr Mountains, the Bjeshket e Nemuna (Albanian Alps), the Koritnik Mountains, and the Pashtrik Mountains. These regions provide the largest number of potential sites for nomination to the World Heritage List or the MAB program.Of the natural heritage values, 19 geomorphological areas of international importance were identified; additionally, 3 areas had regional (Balkan) importance, and 19 sites were caves. Furthermore, 152 glacial and nival lakes and a bifurcation (i.e. hydrological values), approximately 200 species and subspecies that are endemic to the Balkans, 8 locally endemic, 9 endemic and endemic-relict plant associations and 1 endemic animal species (i.e. biodiversity values), and ancient Beech forests (i.e. ecosystem values) were considered for conservation.Consideration of the above mentioned areas for protection under UNESCO would provide a legal framework for the protection of natural and cultural values in Kosovo as well as support their sustainable development.Additionally, protecting these areas would promote the development of environmental and educational projects and training as well as the research and monitoring of issues related to nature conservation and sustainable development at local, regional and international levels.

Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) is listed as “Near threatened” in the IUCN Red list of endangered species. The importance of protecting the Hermann’s tortoise populations and its habitats have led to the inclusion of the species within CITES Convention (Annex II), Annex A of EU Wildlife Trade Regulation, Annex II of the Bern Convention and Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. To assess the distribution and status of the eastern Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) in Croatia, historical and recent records were gathered and analyzed. The species was recorded in all three biogeographical regions in the country, but it’s native to the Mediterranean and a small part of the Alpine region. With the increase of recent surveys and the use of citizen science platforms, the known range of the species in Croatia was increased by 35.8% and is now encompassing 123 10 × 10 km EEA reference grid cells. Most records (66%) originate from lower elevations (up to 199 m), and the highest was recorded at 570 m. Sparse forests are the most preferred habitats, followed by semi-open habitats, such as grasslands and shrubs. The most serious threat to the species is natural succession due to the increased abandonment of traditional farming and grazing. Other threats include touristic infrastructure and urban development, transportation, illegal collecting, and invasive species. The Area of Occupancy calculated using 2 × 2 km grids resulted in an AOO of 1,372.00 km2, while Extent of Occurrence (EOO) is calculated to be 18,145.07 km2. The current network of National protected areas includes 14% of the species’ AOO while the designated Natura 2000 areas include 29.30% of its AOO. We propose to designate an additional 10 Natura 2000 areas to help with the long-term protection of the species.

With the federal forestry legislation coming into force in 1993, a multi-functional forest management has been established as the fundamental objective of national forest policy in Switzerland. This modern concept was already developed with the beginning of the federal forest policy during the second half of the last century with the effect that forest enterprises already perform extensive activities in the service sector. For publicly owned forest enterprises in the Alpine region the payment flows clearly show at which degree multi-functional management takes effect on the corresponding financing. Services provided by forest enterprises in the sectors of protection(safe-guarding) and well-being are not only financed by the profits obtained from wood production, but also by budget positions especially established for this purpose. Since the 1980s, the sectoral financing for providing services by the forest enterprises has at least partially contributed to the off-setting of the impact caused by unfavourable economic conditions in wood production. Due to the on-going planning process for the realisation of co-ordinated regional or cantonal policies as well as inter-country developments within the realms of the Alpine convention,the basis for the financing of public forest enterprises based on multi-functional forest management will be even more strongly differentiated in coming years. Pilot projects carried out under the new financial equalisation system between the federal and cantonal governments suggest that multifunctional forest management will form a solid basis for the development and implementation of forest enterprises strategies. On the operational level it is necessary to develop and apply suitable instruments for cost and management control.

In many disciplines, storytelling has gained recognition as a powerful tool for sharing wisdom, stimulating empathy, transmitting knowledge and persuading audiences about promotional messages. With the emergence of the worldwide web first, and social media more recently, much attention has been focused on the potential of digital storytelling. Storytelling is also considered by some as a means to safeguard and provide access to Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), for example through documentation and inventorying practices built on narration or through the development of websites and applications. Public availability and marketing of ICH may however expose heritage bearers to risks of misappropriation, decontextualization or misrepresentation, as has been recognized by the UNESCO’s 2008 Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. How is it possible for heritage bearers to benefit from ICH storytelling while mitigating these risks? This article builds on work carried out in the context of two research projects that dealt with digital storytelling in very different manners: AlpFoodway, a EU Interreg Alpine Space project (2017–2019), which aimed to create a sustainable development model for peripheral mountain areas based on the preservation and valorization of the traditional Alpine food heritage; and the ongoing British Academy for Sustainability project “Celebrating local stewardship in a global market: community heritage, intellectual property protection and sustainable development in India”. Thanks to the lessons learned in the context of these two projects, this article shares some considerations on how approaches to storytelling developed in the field of marketing can assist with community empowerment and sustainable development. As a result, it contributes to a better understanding of the understudied and little understood conditions under which ICH entanglement with the market can be carried out in heritage sensitive and legally savvy manners that empowers individuals, groups and communities that are ICH bearers and ensures that they are the prime beneficiaries of the economic benefits of commercialization.

Based on the analysis of more than 17,000 vegetation plots (relevés), the participation of 261 protected species (254 vascular plants, six lichens, and one bryophyte) in 30 EUNIS grassland habitat types was revealed. Vegetation plots were assigned to the habitat types using the EUNIS-ESy expert system with further verification. We consider as protected species those listed in the current edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine, Resolution 6 of the Bern Convention, Annexes II and IV of the Habitat Directive, and the IUCN Red List (only categories VU, EN, CR). The participation of protected species was studied according to the following three criteria: (1) the total number of protected species in the plots assigned to a certain habitat type, (2) the number of plots in which at least one protected species is present, and (3) the mean number of protected species per plots within each habitat type. True steppes (R1B) and meadow steppes (R1A) differed with a significant predominance of the total number of protected species. Arctic alpine calcareous grassland (R44) and Continental dry rocky steppic grassland and dwarf scrub on chalk outcrops (R15) had the largest proportion of plots with protected species and the highest mean numbers of protected species per relevé. Saline habitats, in particular Temperate inland salt marsh (R63) and Semi desert salt pan (R64), were characterized by the smallest number of plots with protected species. Among all species, Gymnadenia conopsea, Stipa capillata, Colchicum autumnale and Gladiolus imbricatus occurred in the largest number of studied habitat types. Based on the results of the analysis, appropriate ways of optimizing the protection of grassland habitats and protected species are proposed.

Overcoming the threats of the snow leopard with immediate action may be what will save this species from extinction. This report provides a brief overview both of the challenges faced by the snow leopard and the roles local people have taken in the decline and subsequent recovery of this apex predator. Panthera uncia lives across the high-alpine regions of Central Asia, with China containing most of their habitat. It is estimated that only 550,000 km2 of this territory is good quality habitat.These predators will adjust their territory size and range in accordance with their ungulate prey. Under the Conservation Monitoring Centre of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they have been listed as endangered since 1996. Since 1975, all international trade has been prohibited after being listed with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). The International Snow Leopard Trust and the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy are promoting conservation through scientifically based research. Numerous threats have been identified: decline in prey populations, habitat degradation, trophy and black market hunting, ineffective law enforcement, a lack of knowledge about conservation efforts, and climate change. It is estimated that 30% of their habitat will be subject to change along the Himalayas. The Snow Leopard Survival Strategy is promoting livestock and grazing practices that will reduce vulnerability to predation, such as the use of herding dogs to ward off predators. An underlying problem that ties the numerous issues together is the poverty in most of the countries that are part of snow leopard range, and this draws a link between biodiversity conservation and the well-being of those people. Regional conservation programs depend not only on the effective enforcement of protection laws, but also on the proof that wildlife conservation can provide new opportunities to the local people who are impacted by this species. To save this species, these areas need to be conserved and managed, and the rural communities need to be educated and supported.

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Historical landscape and habitat reconstruction can be an important mitigation tool for regional habitat loss, conservation and restoration (NRC 1992; Swetnam et al. 1999; Steiner 2000). Among landscapes and habitats, wetlands play an important role in providing ecosystem services. Any loss of wetland areas may cause serious and sometimes irreparable environmental and habitat damages (Soule, 1991). Wetlands have a paramount importance for ecosystems and are protected by the Ramsar Convention and regulated and valorized, in different ways, by local and/or regional protection agency and laws.</p><p>Analysing trends of wetlands loss on a regional scale can now be performed using geo-historical approaches and remote sensing and GIS technologies. Many notable examples of wetlands loss studies using a combined geohistorical and GIS approach may be find in the literature. Much of the previous research on wetlands loss has focused on the United States where wetlands are more legally protected and regulated. Little research has focused on wetlands in southern Europe. The focus of this research is on wetland loss in the Southern Venetian-Po Plain (Northeastern Italy) through a comparison of contemporary and historical data with the analysis of remote sensing and historical maps. In particular, this work focuses on the province of Padova, well known for their abundance of inland wetlands in the past although greatly disrupted through drainage and agricultural expansion in the last century.</p><p>The Southern Venetian Po-Plain is an alluvial plain located between the Lagoon of Venice, the Po river and the Veneto pre-Alps piedmont region. This region is currently characterized by an apparent scarcity of wetlands in comparison to what is represented in many historical maps and described in historical documents. Some studies on wetlands in parts of the Venetian region have been conducted using different approaches. Typical research focused on single portions of larger wetlands or single ponds for the study of current biochemical conditions and ecosystems in the environment (e.g. Serandrei-Barbero et al., 2011; Pappalardo et al., 2016). Research on more extensive wetlands, land reclamations and humans-rivers relationships mostly focus on the analysis of the socio-economical conditions in the Po Delta and the Lagoon of Venice (e.g. Bertoncin, 2002; Novello, 2009). Despite numerous works on singular ponds or studies on larger water bodies in the Venetian area, there is still a poor knowledge of the amount, the extension and the type of wetlands in the Southern Venetian Po-Plain. A comprehensive survey of wetlands for the Venetian area has never been conducted, and the ‘official’ data are notably incomplete.</p><p>The objectives of this work were: 1) to perform a survey (Figure 1) of both historic and present-day wetlands in the province of Padova (northeastern Italy) using historical cartography (1882 map of the province of Padova by O. Morelli) and recent aerial orthophotos (2015), 2) to provide a first estimation of the extraordinary loss of wetlands in this province due mostly to land reclamation processes of the last century, and 3) to discuss the prospects for further historical wetlands analysis based on additional historic maps (1776, 1801, 1862, 1882, 1980) for a key area called Bassa Padovana (Padova’s lowland). All quantitative analyses were performed through the use of a GIS. This research contributes to the discussion of small isolated wetlands (Figure 2) that have been created in the last century and their unique role in the ecosystems.</p>

The Alps are experiencing a dynamic development in different areas, such as economy, social development or cross-alpine traffic and at the same time are facing environmental changes that impair the living conditions of people as well as of its flora and fauna. It is therefore important that through the Alpine Convention an international treaty has been agreed upon for the protection of the Alps with an integrative approach, embracing ecological, economic and social aspects. This article provides an overview of the objectives and content of the Alpine Convention. It also takes a look at its genesis and implementation as well as the different stakeholders that are involved therein. The article further examines the specific characteristics of the Alpine Convention such as its mechanisms for dispute resolution and its aspects of public participation. In this context a parallel is drawn to the Aarhus Convention which is likewise an NGO-driven international Convention.

Slovenia is an alpine country: 11 percent of its territory is above 1,600 meters above sea level. The Slovenian Alps are dotted with secluded farms and clustered hamlets, and there are larger towns on the plains of the pre-Alpine regions. In the 1990s, Slovenia, together with other Alpine countries, acceded to the International Convention on the Protection of the Alps. Due to its small size, the Slovenian Alpine space is manageable, but very fragile and sensitive to various interventions, especially architectural ones. Namely, architecture directs the mentality and consciousness of people, and thus also cultural and economic development. Today, it is difficult to talk about revitalizing the Alps without mentioning tourism, which brings money to the Alpine environment and creates jobs. Unfortunately, the Slovenian alpine space is developing without a comprehensive urban and architectural development direction. Economic and tourism strategies are also vague. Individual examples of modern quality architecture are rather happy coincidence of the architect's sensitivity, experience and mastery, and the investor's cultural breadth. That is why the examples of good architectural practice that culturally and economically revive the Slovenian Alpine region and preserve its identity stand out all the more. They are distinguished by their attitude towards the environment – understanding and respect for the natural and cultural landscape, dimensions of volumes that are carefully integrated into the scenography of mountain ambiences, modern spatial design, selection of new natural materials, interpretation of traditional architectural heritage and preservation of local traditions and knowledge of our ancestors.

AbstractGenetic diversity is fundamental to the adaptive potential and survival of species. Although its importance has long been recognized in science, it has a history of neglect within policy, until now. The new Global Biodiversity Framework recently adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity, states that genetic diversity must be maintained at levels assuring adaptive potential of populations, and includes metrics for systematic monitoring of genetic diversity in so called indicators. Similarly, indicators for genetic diversity are being developed at national levels. Here, we apply new indicators for Swedish national use to one of the northernmost salmonid fishes, the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). We sequence whole genomes to monitor genetic diversity over four decades in three landlocked populations inhabiting protected alpine lakes in central Sweden. We find levels of genetic diversity, inbreeding and load to differ among lakes but remain stable over time. Effective population sizes are generally small (< 500), suggesting a limited ability to maintain adaptive variability if genetic exchange with nearby populations became eliminated. We identify genomic regions potentially shaped by selection; SNPs exhibiting population divergence exceeding expectations under drift and a putative selective sweep acting within one lake to which the competitive brown trout (Salmo trutta) was introduced during the sampling period. Identified genes appear involved in immunity and salinity tolerance. Present results suggest that genetically vulnerable populations of Arctic charr have maintained neutral and putatively adaptive genetic diversity despite small effective sizes, attesting the importance of continued protection and assurance of gene flow among populations.