ClimaParks

Background and Objectives

The ClimaParks project is composed of nine partners: four Slovenian and five Italian national parks. The Lead Partner of the project is the Triglav National Park.

Both the Italian and Slovenian national parks introduced research activities aiming to raise awareness on the consequences of climate change and the benefits of conservation, biodiversity and the promotion of an environmental sustainable relationship amongst these protected areas on both sides of the border. The project set up a permanent network of workstations to allow data comparison among the parks. The Italian and Slovenian parks managed to raise awareness on the significance of a responsible attitude towards the natural environment (information centres, training programmes). These parks, through the introduction of pilot projects,  analysed the visitors’ behaviour in protected areas respecting the environment and explored and developed environmentally friendly ways of protecting the areas frequented by visitors.

Main activities

These included the following:

Monitoring and analysis: Through a suitable methodology, a group of experts created a network to take readings and measurements, and permit common observations with the availability of on-line data. This enabled the parks to set up a solid base for comparative analysis, carried out for the first time within and amongst them.

Parks as an example of good practice: As model of good practice, the parks implemented a number of pilot projects in the field of sustainable management of protected areas. In this way, the parks succeeded raising environmental awareness amongst visitors.

Sustainable visits and awareness (information centres’ network): All the parks involved in the project informed and trained visitors and other target groups about topics such as climate change, the importance of preserving biodiversity and the individual responsibility towards the environment.

Communication strategy: The parks organised joint activities in the communication field with a particular emphasis on raising visitors’ awareness: two conferences; a website; media publications; etc.

Main results

The main results of this project included:

• Establishment and consolidation of a partnership between the national parks of Italy and Slovenia.
• Establishment of a long-term and comparative monitoring system on climate change, biodiversity and the flow of visitors to the parks.
• Establishment of pilot projects in the field of sustainable management of protected areas, as examples of best practices for the interested public.
• Raised awareness and knowledge of the public on climate change, biodiversity and environmental issues in general.