This project was researched in 2005 by a team of experts commissioned by CIPRA as part of the Future in the Alps Project. The contents are not being updated.
- Best Practice
- Topics
- New forms of decision-making
- Regional value added, Governance capacity, Protected areas, Policies and instruments
- Short description
- In 2001, 21 communities founded the nature park "Parc Ela" following the rules of the Swiss Nature and Homeland protection law (Bundesgesetz über den Natur- und Heimatschutz, NHG). The Parc Ela fosters sustainable regional development in the Surses and Albulatal Region. It focuses especially on sustainable tourism and nature preservation. On May 31 2005, a patronage committee and a branch office were founded, which should organize the park's development and NHG-application.
- Participants
- 21 communities, local population, members of the society Parc Ela, branch office Parc Ela, nature protection organisations, agricultural and forestry organisations, tourism organisation, local industry, cantonal and federal offices
- Objectives
- Stabilization of the economy and preservation and/or creation of new places of work; diversification of the touristy offer and stabilization of the summer tourism; sustainable use of the endogenous resources and care of ecologically sensitive habitats; common marketing of products from the area (agriculture, wood, tourism, craft and other); promotion of regional commodities circuit and added value concatenation; quality improvement of companies and products (labelling); care and preservation of the cultural heritage; stabilization of the regional identity and promotion of a narrower cooperation among the two valleys Albulatal and Surses; promotion of innovative projects; promotion of projects elevating energy efficiency; promotion of applied research;
- Activities
- Workshops with the interested population and interest groups included the following tasks: 1) Defining regional products, 2) collaboration in defining concepts for use and protection rules, 3) developing concepts for traffic regulation, marketing, business plans etc.
- Results
- Sponsorship Parc Ela founded; Parc ela office founded; byelaws charta, concept for park, marketing, mobility and action plan fixed, rules for labelling and marketing of the parc ela products; other products: Pfad der Pioniere, Geologieweg und Alp Flix (http://www.flix.ch); designing bookable offers; hiking map of parc ela
- Evaluation
- is planned
- Difficulties
- combining and balancing the different interests; communicating the importance of cooperation; involving all stakeholders in bottom-up approach; gaining confidence in regard to future developments
- Budget
- 80000.-- (Euro)
- Financial backer
- Communities, members of the Parc ela, sponsors, at best canton of Graubeuenden and Swiss federation; Nature protection organisation Pro Natura sponsored CHF 200 000.-- for various projects