Sustainable Mobility Plan in Adamello Brenta Natural Park

Best Practice

Topics

• Mobility

Short description

The project is intended to implement traffic containment measures for cars within the Park, thus supporting a sustainable and integrated approach to tourist mobility. To this end, the Park has created two policy lines in two particularly important Park areas: Val Genova and Val di Tovel. Further initiatives in other Park areas are envisaged for the next few years.

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Participants

Adamello Brenta Natural Park Association (project organiser) with the technical consultancy of Oekoinstitut Sudtirol Bozen, Transport Department of the Autonomous Province of Trento (co-financer and sponsor), Municipalities of Carisolo, Giustino, Pinzolo, Strembo, Massimeno, Caderzone, ASUC di Mortaso, Tuenno (local bodies responsible for local properties, the adoption of traffic regulations, etc.); private enterprises operating in the area (restaurants, shelters, bars, etc); Trentino Trasporti Spa (public transport means and services), Algorab (IT surveying support).

Objectives

1. Deter use of the Park as merely a locality for driving excursions, a form of tourism whose negative environmental impact is considerable, with low economic returns and high cultural loss. Promote tourist and hiker awareness of the Park’s extraordinary habitat, offering both explorative and leisure opportunities in line with the sustainable use of this nature reserve. 2. Experiment management models of tourist flows and vehicle and pedestrian monitoring exportable to other areas of the Park and other protected areas, with a view to implementing increasingly prudent area and traffic management policies. 3. Strengthen the Park’s role as a local/provincial point of reference in terms of sustainable development. 4. Make the public at large and the relative authorities aware of sustainable mobility issues.

Activities

For both Val Genova and Val di Tovel the project is structured around three main lines of action: 1. Drawing up new access regulations: limited traffic (respectively at 8.5 and 4 km); reorganisation of payment car parks; total blocking of traffic in the most vulnerable areas (Malga Bedole, Tovel Lake). 2. Improving and organising tourist/cultural services: shuttle bus service; bicycle hire; completion of the “Waterfall Route” (Val Genova) and the “Glare Route” (Tovel) to favour pedestrian access to the valleys; opening of information and visitors centres; game/educational activities; “special invitations” to visit the Park without cars (weekly one day trips from a number of locations towards Val Genova and Tovel; in spring/autumn from Trento to Tovel). 3. Implementing the «opportunity, not constraint» communication campaign: leaflets, signs, press releases, staff training, bus decorations. Furthermore, throughout the Park: automatic traffic gauging machines and people counting belts on the relative routes.

Process

1) Cognitive stage: data acquisition and processing, analysis of accessibility and mobility demands, supply analyses; 2) Setting out objectives and intervention criteria; 3) Identifying any areas of difficulty; 4) Developing the plan of intervention; 5) Consulting and negotiating with bodies owning the ground and responsible for traffic management; 6) Developing project measures; 7) Promoting awareness, information and communication.

Results

The results of the mobility management initiatives were quite positive: - visitor numbers remained stable; - the use of cars reduced from 93% to 82%; - new public transport services reached 13% of traffic share; - car trips in the valley reduced in terms of length and numbers: cars arriving at the end of the valley decreased from 46% to 18%; - carbon dioxide emission decreased by 18% (-12 tons) and carbon monoxide emission by 25% (-0,9 tons); - space for parking was reduced by 13%; - the cost of the initiatives was balanced by parking and public transport fees. Various local municipalities requested the Park to implement similar projects and regulations based on the results achieved in the Genova Valley. For this reason the Park is assessing the possibility of implementing a gradual project for the entire area.

Evaluation

During the first year (2003) an important statistical institute conducted a survey among the Park users with the aim of sounding approval of the project. In 2004 the “Traffic survey” project was set in motion, which analyses the trend in a number of significant factors on a yearly basis with a view to assessing the project and any further intervention measures. A yearly report is also drawn up regarding the performance of the initiatives implemented as part of the project. In general, project assessments have been positive, both as regards the opinion of users and the trend of data registered. Over the next few years, thanks also to the positive results achieved, the “sustainable mobility” project is expected to be extended to other Park areas.

Difficulties

The main difficulties registered concern the agreements on interventions with the municipal authorities owning the land and responsible for various aspects of mobility management (defining shared traffic management rules); difficulties initially also emerged with regard to obtaining the assent of local tourist operators.

Budget

€ 314,284.35 (Euro)

Source of information

other contact

Mr Matteo Viviani
Natural Park Adamello Brenta
Matteo.viviani@parcoadamellobrenta.tn.it

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.parcoadamellobrenta.tn.it/

Project executive as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

As a result of the latest traffic regulations, 72% of vehicles entering Val di Tovel did NOT reach Lake Tovel, stopping instead at the car park managed by the Park. In Val Genova, air pollution fell significantly (-25% CO emission) and the landscape improved through the removal of a number of car parks.

Economic value added

The project has contributed to improving the tourist image of the valleys concerned and of the entire Park area by offering increasingly sustainable services. This will result in positive, although difficult to quantify, financial effects in the average term, which in turn will have a positive impact on financial operators and the flow of tourists in the Park area in general. Project costs pertaining to the year 2004 equal €314,284.35, set against revenue to the value of €123,690.14

Socio-cultural value added

1. Promoting public awareness and that of local decision-makers regarding sustainable mobility, overcoming the initial scepticism encountered among the authorities and demonstrating that a reduction in private traffic is compatible with the development of tourist activities. 2. Demonstrating that traditional tourist services may be replaced with new ones based on a sustainable, respectful and aware enjoyment of the environment. This has been confirmed by the increase in the number of families who have visited the Park (26% more children in Val Genova in 2004 compared to 2003).

Innovative content

The project immediately involved all potentially interested and/or committed stakeholders. It also managed to link the needs of a constantly developing tourist market with those of local residents and owners. It is thanks to this type of shared planning that the Park has succeeded in uniting the concepts of development and sustainability which, in this case, have been proved not opposites, but rather complementary and mutually/ necessary.

Good governance

The Park has involved all stakeholders in specific work tables. All authorities owning land within the area affected by the project were contacted. The local press took a keen interest in the agreements reached, and were kept constantly up-dated on the project developments. Backing aid: the municipal authorities were delegated to manage permits for authorised residents and supervise vehicular traffic.

PR impact

All traditional communication channels were adopted: press office (press releases, conferences, information updates, journalist group visits), specific leaflets, manifestos, road signs and notice boards. The Park was invited to many national and international conventions to present its sustainable mobility plan, one of the most ambitious ever implemented.

Multiplier effect / networking

1. Internal effect: the success of the initial project (Val Genova, 2003) led the Park to extend its mobility initiatives to other valleys in the protected area (Val Tovel, 2004); the experiment was also repeated in other protected areas (Paneveggio Pale S. Martino, the Belluno Dolomites) through an exchange of information and know-how during a campaign of meetings and work tables.

Transferability

An aspect of great interest regarding this project is the chance it offers to enrich the experience enjoyed by the tourists who visit the protected and/or sensitive areas while at the same time convincing them to do without their private cars. Of equal interest is the involvement of all parties potentially interested in the execution of the project, and the attention aroused by the communication and public awareness strategies.

Further information