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Flexible and eco-friendly through the Alps

The right decision for their wallet and for the environment: 150 young participants in CIPRA’s Youth Alpine Interrail project celebrated the end of their climate-friendly journey of discovery through the Alps by train and bus in Bern at the beginning of October 2022.

Alpine Climate Camps

[Project completed] Recharge your batteries, experience glaciers, go by bike: The Alpine Climate Camps project combines mountain sports and climate protection while encouraging young climate activists.

Ideas for Jelovica from Pinzgau

Preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage: this is the aim of the project on the Slovenian karst plateau of Jelovica. In mid-September 2022, the Slovenian partners of the “JeloviZA” project travelled to the Austrian Pinzgau region to gain inspiration from the Hohe Tauern National Park region.

Ideas for Jelovica from Pinzgau

Preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage: this is the aim of the project on the Slovenian karst plateau of Jelovica. In mid-September 2022, the Slovenian partners of the “JeloviZA” project travelled to the Austrian Pinzgau region to gain inspiration from the Hohe Tauern National Park region.

JeloviZA

[Project completed] The JeloviZA project aims to improve the condition of ecosystems and conserve certain species in the Slovenian Natura 2000 site Jelovica. Six project partners are working on a management plan for the area, which will include nature conservation, tourism and regional development.

International competition for the 7th edition of Lausanne Jardins

We are pleased to announce that the international competition for the 7th edition of Lausanne Jardins is officially launched. It is addressed to landscape gardeners, architects, designers and artists from all over the world to create approximately twenty gardens on the theme of water. These gardens will be set up on the shores of the lake during the summer of 2024. The call for applications will be open until 11 November 2022.

EUROPARC Conference 2022: Climate Change, Resilient Parks!

The EUROPARC Federation and the Fédération des Réserves Naturelles Catalanes (FRNC) are honoured to invite you to France for the EUROPARC annual conference and General Assembly. This year’s edition will focus on Climate Change Adaptation in and around Protected Areas. Throughout the program and with the help of experienced practitioners, experts and researchers, we will seek to better understand: How will climate change affect Protected Areas and their surroundings? How to assess their vulnerability? How to prepare ourselves collectively to adapt for the future? The EUROPARC Conference is the biggest gathering of Protected Area professionals in Europe. Hosted every year in a different location in Europe, this year will take place in Argelès-sur-Mer, France. Find out who are the organisers and supporters that have made this conference possible.

Global Mountain Sustainability Forum

The second edition of the Global Mountain Sustainability Forum (GMS Forum 2022) aims at exploring sustainable and resilient human-mountain relations in light of current societal and environmental challenges humanity is faced with. In doing so, the conference strives to provide a platform for multi- and interdisciplinary discussion while shedding light on the lessons to be learned from mountains and mountain communities in relation to the sustainable reorganisation of modern societies. A special focus will be placed on the dynamics between highlands and lowlands.

The “Green Communities” in the Italian Alps

Sustainable management of the built heritage, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly mobility: how can mountain areas be upgraded and the overuse of natural resources curbed? The first “Green Communities” in Italy want to show that this is also possible in a socially acceptable way.

Natura 2000 site under pressure

Too many visitors are putting a strain on nature in the Trois Becs/F area and pushing the infrastructure to its limits. A study by CIPRA France proposes measures, including on-site personal sensitisation and greater communication.

A signal for climate protection

From Triglav National Park in Slovenia to Radnig in Austria and Gondo in Switzerland, on 13 August 2022 people came together to set an example for climate protection. This year’s «Fire in the Alps» was held under the motto «The Alps need climate protection».

Shoes from a 3D printer

Creative, young, motivated: around 30 young people from all the Alpine countries have spent a year implementing their ideas for a good life in the Alps. At the beginning of July they concluded their year-long journey as “Alpine Changemakers” and presented their projects.

Co-housing instead of vacancies

What ideas are there for living together in the Alps? From co-housing to neighbourhood management in communities, a symposium in Saas-Fee/CH has helped shed light on these and other developments.

Via Alpina Explorer on the trail

Get your boots on, get set, go! Until the end of September 2022, nine “explorers” will be hiking along the redesigned Via Alpina route. They tell stories about alpine biodiversity, the magic of long-distance hiking, regional specialities and encounters along the way – in a series of short videos, reports, film and art projects.

Via Alpina Explorer on the trail

Get your boots on, get set, go! Until the end of September 2022, nine “explorers” will be hiking along the redesigned Via Alpina route. They tell stories about alpine biodiversity, the magic of long-distance hiking, regional specialities and encounters along the way – in a series of short videos, reports, film and art projects.

Heatwave aggravated by soil sealing

All of Europe is currently groaning under the heat – and the growing numbers of concreted-over areas are heating up the environment even more. In a background report, CIPRA's Saving:Soils project shows good examples and solutions for the sustainable use of soil and summarises current strategies in the Alpine countries.

Alps in transition

The ecological transition is already happening in the Alps – and we are in the middle of it. The AlpWeek 2022 from 5 to 7 September 2022 in Brig-Glis/CH will bring together citizens and decision-makers to discuss the many aspects of transformation in the Alps. CIPRA is co-organiser of the international event.

Save land, save soil

What do we need for a turnaround in land management in peri-urban areas?

Good Practices

Ecological and community areas

With its ecological commons zone (“Zone d'écologie communale”, ZEC), the Free Quarter of Lentillères in Dijon/F invents a legal tool to legalise land occupation and thus prevent construction.

Using less soil

Puy-Saint-André in the French Alps has reduced the buildable municipal area by confiscating "ownerless" land, is saving space thanks to community housing projects and promoting the supply of local food by means of pasture associations.

Rebuild instead of build

The Austrian municipality of Zwischenwasser on the edge of the Rhine valley is rebuilding instead of building – and doing so at the highest architectural level.

Lively mountain village

The village of Valendas in the Swiss canton of Graubünden shows how citizens can revive their village architecturally and culturally.

Roads on a diet

Carinthia/A relies on unsealing and is narrowing kilometres of federal roads. Now they are flanked by green strips and cycle paths.

Affordable primary residences

Second homes notwithstanding, the municipality of Zermatt/CH wants to secure affordable housing for the local population.

Climate-fit mountain regions

The "AdaPT Mont-Blanc" project uses a digital toolbox to show what measures are available for adapting to climate change at the spatial planning level.

Stop to second homes

The Swiss popular initiative "Stop the rampant construction of second homes!" limits the proportion of second homes in municipalities in order to curb urban sprawl.

Remain rural and affordable

How the German municipality of Weyarn, close to the city, protects its soil, promotes affordable housing and creates a higher quality of life.

Making vacancies visible

The "Plattform Land" draws attention to vacancies in South Tyrolean pilot communities and shows how they can make good use of empty properties.

The best idea wins

Kindergarten, after-school care, flats for senior citizens, surgeries, village shop and family café: how the German municipality of Schwabsoien revived a vacant inn in the village centre with an urban development competition.