Protected Areas

Nature knows no boundaries.....so
EUROPARC
is founded on the principle that the future
protection and conservation of nature is
achieved through
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.
International cooperation works best through
PERSONAL CONTACT.
That through personal contact comes
MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, SHARED
EXPERIENCES , KNOWLEDGE AND
INNOVATION.
This delivers better support and management
of protected areas which ensures the
FUTURE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF
NATURE . ..
because Nature knows no boundaries.........
Protected Areas
A protected area is defined as:
“A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated
and managed, through legal or other effective means, to
achieve the long-term conservation of nature with
associated ecosystem services and cultural values”. IUCN
Snowdonia Wales
Kemeri , Latvia
Jostedalsbreen Norway
Skaftafell Iceland
Variety of landscapes, embedded in
cultural identity. Often sculpted by
nature and shaped by people.
Influenced course of history, inspired
artists and thinkers and enriched lives.
They are our natural life support system.
Ferto hansag Hungary
These protected areas represent the
land that is our inheritance , - we hold it
in trust for those who come after us.
Cevennes, France
La Albufera Spain
Goreme Turkey
Triglav Slovenia
Piatra Ciaiului Romania
Nature + History = Culture
Living, Working, Landscape or Seascape
Nature , Natural, Regional parks.....
Landscapes have histories and these are contained not only in the soils and fauna, and
in the traces of human life,
But also in the history of the ways of seeing the Land
Bernard Cohen 1997
De tre bukkene Bruse The 3 Billy Goats Gruff
The 3 Billy Goats Gruff
Resource management
Rights and Responsibilities
Decision Making
Social Inclusion
Economic Activity
Cultural Identity
Do they need a Park?
Governance 
...interaction amongst structures, processes
and traditions that determine how power and
responsibilities are exercised how decisions
are taken and how citizens and other
stakeholders have their say.... Graham et al 2003
(Canada)
No one model. But good principles.......
Main factor in determining effectiveness
Can maximise ecological, economic ,social,
and cultural benefits of a Protected Area,
Needs legitimacy and Voice
Direction and Purpose
Performance
Accountability
Fairness Rights
IUCN 2013
4 main types of Governance
GovernmentShared GovernancePrivate Individuals/OrganisationsIndigenous People and Communities
•Who decides
•How the decisions are taken
•Who holds power
•Who has responsibility
•Who is accountable
•Difference between management and governance!
Europe’s Protected Areas
Some numbers
About 68,200 protected areas in Europe
(EU27)...(not yet calculated Croatia) 75,00 in
wider european community
National/Regional designated Protected Areas
covering almost 19% of EU = Italy + Spain
surface
About 7,7% of N2000 sites are within
National/Regional designated PA
Protected Areas affect almost ¼ of the EU
population
Last 10 years Protected Areas in Europe have
grown 23% but average dimension decreased
Protected areas were once planned AGAINST
people, now it is recognised that they need to
be planned WITH local people
A vision without a plan is just a
dream.
A plan without a vision is just
drudgery.
But a vision with a plan can change
the world
GovernmentShared GovernancePrivate Individuals/OrganisationsIndigenous People and Communities
Governance.
Varied across Europe.
Feature of different reasons protected areas
have been designated , culture, political
activism or expediency, community
demand...and so on..
Finland –state run
Hungary-state run.
Eastern Europe - devolved Scientific reserves
no history of public involvement.
Private National Parks in Netherlands run by
NGO other reserves etc UK, Germany Nature
park run by mobile phone companyin
Slovenia.
Private National Parks in Israel
Private land- Govenment designated, UK,
Denmark, France, ..most regional /nature
parks.
Parks By Numbers
Country
National Parks
% cover
Nature/Regional %cover
parks
France
Italy
Germany
Austria
Spain
UK
10
24
14
6
14
15
9.5%
5%
2.6%
2.8%
6%
England 9.3%
Wales 19.95%
Scotland 7.2%
48
152
105
47
141
46 AONB E, W
and NI
Scotland 3
regional parks
40 national
scenic areas
13%
6.5%
27%
5.9%
64%
18.5%
30%
France
PROTECTED AREAS IN FRANCE
PROTECTED BY LAWS
National Parks
National and regional natural reserves
Listed sites
PROTECTED BY AGREEMENTS
Natural Regional Parks
«Greenways » and «blueways
» (trames bleus / vertes)
Natura 2000 (EU)
PROTECTED BY STATE OWNERSHIP
Coastal and lakeshore conservatory
Regional natural areas conservatories
County sensitive natural areas
PROTECTED BY INTERNATIONAL
LABELS/AGREEMENTS
Biosphere reserve
RAMSAR
UNESCO WH Sites
THE REGIONAL NATURE PARKS ; DIVERSITY OF LIVING LANDSCAPES
49 Regional Natural Parks. Have networking Federation.
3706 communities = 3706 mayors ! Official representation
13% of France
320 000 companies (7% of France)
5 of 7 Biosphere reserves UNESCO
12% of Parks territories = « Natura 2000 » (national average 8%)
34% of tourist nights in a community being a protected area (2006)
26% of tourists come to practise a nature sport in nature:
alpinism, climbing, canyoning, sailing, horse riding,
hiking,... (2006)
Attractive landscapes where people live, not a museum or a resort ! Very strong
regional cultural identity
REGIONAL NATURAL PARK HOW DOES IT WORK??
A coherent, rural, inhabited territory : the natural and cultural heritage's as strength and
weakness
Voluntary actions of local collectives inspired by the Region Charter = a territorial project
evaluated every 12 years.
Involvement in a sustainable development plan with the State (recognition and guarantee)
To be listed as Regional Nature Park = given permission to use the brand
Cooperative management based on mediation : to convince but not to force
Scotland
3(4) Regional Parks
designated in 1980
under regional
authorities
2 National Parks
Cairngorms
Loch Lomond and
Trossachs
Our Values
Passion - We love what we do
Leadership - We show the way
Accessible - We’re approachable, open and friendly
Caring - We respect the past and shape the future
Inspiring - We spark ideas for action
Green - We do the right thing for the Park and planet
•At least 7million visitor days
•1865 km2 almost all private land.
•15,600 people live in the park
•Park authority 16 members. Elected and nominated by government.
•2 legal committees
•Other fora and committees
•20 community councils----Community Development Trusts
•Executive with staff of 130
•National Park Plan
•Community Action Plans
•Annual budget ~ £9Million
The National Park Community Futures Programme was established in 2002 to support
communities that were about to become part of the new National Park .
Started in the belief that investment in local community planning, involving people in the
process and building and strengthening community organisations will contribute to sustainable
community development and communities that can genuinely be partners in their own
development.
The aims of the programme were to help communities
• clearly identify their own needs and aspirations
•build capacity so they could be partners in their own development
• develop and implement the projects and actions that matter
Spain
43 different legal PA categories !
Different Administrations:
17 regional authorities (Comunidades Autónomas)
People in parks:
1.300 municipalities (16% of total provides territory
to PA)
12 million people (30% of Spanish population
inside PA
Catalonia
€
Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa – Catalonia
1982. 15,000 hectares and includes territory from eleven municipalities, 40,000 people live in
the park. Predominately to protect the unique volcanic landscape
What were the challenges?
•Problems of quarrying, urban sprawl, illegal dumping,
2001
• Lack of co-ordination in the tourism sector of the area;
• lack of integration amongst municipalities
• Bad and conflicting relationship between tourism; businesses
and public administrations
• low level of professionalism in many of the tourism businesses.
Spain’s coastal tourism development, in some areas,
shows how UNSUSTAINABLE tourism development can be
and the dangers and damages it can produce.
•Poor investment.
Turisme Garrotxa, a private association (social enterprise) was created:
• to promote a sustainable tourism model of development based on a
quality offer and emphasising respect for nature and environment.
Tourism development has been planned in La Garrotxa now for more
than 10 years in a sustainable and participative way.
• Direct relationship with more than 60 tourism businesses cooperating
with the Park and giving its customers reliable information about the
Park’s values and management.
•700 km of signposted footpaths.
• Accommodation establishments increased from 93 in 2001 to
211 in 2010. Number of beds increased from 5,015
in 2001 to 6,464 in 2010. Biggest increase in camping and self catering
• Restaurants increased from 117 in 2001 to 249 in 2010.
• Income from tourism activities in the last 10 years €700M.
•8,500 new jobs in tourism, 70% directly in the sector.
Nature Parks/Regional Parks
Conservation
Recreation
Regional Development (sustainable)
Education
........ And more
Europe’s Nature , Natural and Regional parks.....
.......... Time to WAKE the Sleeping Giant
Place
Geddes
Work
Folk