LiveAlpsNature

Biodiversity in protected areas is increasingly suffering from rising pressure of use. Efficient visitor management can however help reduce this pressure. Experts from a wide range of fields are therefore working together in the Live Alps Nature project: the Alpine Network of Protected Areas ALPARC, CIPRA Lab, Paracelsus Medical University, Bohinj Tourism, four national parks from different Alpine countries, two Italian nature parks and a French association of protected areas, as well as the digital tour portal OutdoorActive. The project team first analyses developing trends in nature tourism and their impact on biodiversity. This analysis serves as the basis for the development of innovative leisure offers and visitor guidance measures based on the One Health approach*. They are intended to strengthen both biodiversity and people's health. How this can work is being tested in selected pilot regions in Alpine protected areas. Workshops and training sessions will pass on tried-and-tested measures to relevant stakeholders. The project team is making the data and standards for visitor guidance available on an open-source** basis – this enables broad dissemination across all digital platforms. The project thus relieves the burden on Alpine protected areas, develops tourism solutions and contributes to the health and resilience of nature and people in the Alpine region.

*The One Health approach is based on the understanding that human, animal and environmental health are closely interlinked. 
**Open source software is computer software that is published under a licence in which the copyright holder grants users the right to use, study, modify and distribute the software and its source code to anyone and for any purpose. 

Project partners:

ALPARC, Paracelsus Medical University, OutdoorActive AG, CIPRA Lab GmbH, Ossola Park Administration, Triglav National Park, Swiss National Park, Berchtesgaden National Park, Ecrins National Park, Conservatory of Natural Spaces in Haute-Savoie, Mont Avic Regional Nature Park, Bohinj Tourism

Countries:

France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia

Objectives:

- Reduce the negative impact of nature-based leisure activities on biodiversity in protected areas and beyond.

- Make data on sensitive natural areas more visible on digital platforms.

- Raise people's awareness of biodiversity and its connection to their own health.

Activities:

- Analyse the impact of nature-based recreational activities (NBA) on biodiversity and the development of NBA in the Alpine region

- Catalogue of new activities based on the One Health approach

- List of measures on how harmful activities can be minimised

- Toolbox with standardised open-source dataset and new offers for online platforms

- Training kit with new NBA offers and visitor guidance measures for protected area managers and other stakeholders

Target groups:

- National park administrations and rangers

- Online platforms and their users

- Visitors to protected areas and Alpine natural spaces

- Tourism sector: e.g. mountain guides, Alpine clubs, tourism associations

Duration:

September 2024 - August 2027

Funding amount:

€ 2,729,503

Funding:

The project is part of the Interreg Alpine Space Programme. The Interreg Alpine Space Programme co-finances and supports cooperation projects across the borders of seven Alpine countries. This project is also co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

Further information:

www.alpine-space.eu/project/livealpsnature/ 

Contact:

Paula Duske, Project Manager, paula.duske@cipra.org