Pro Val Lumnezia

Best Practice

Topics

• New forms of decision-making
• Regional value added, Governance capacity, Policies and instruments

Short description

Pro Val Lumnezia is a think tank or a development agency, which emerged after a study regarding the potential of sustainable tourism in the valley of Lugnez. The sponsorship of the organisation was assigned to the administrative body of the Kreis Lugnez. Several external experts as well as the local members of the federal parliament are also members of the Pro Val Lumnezia. A regional coordinator organizes the interface between the different partners.

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Project executive

The Pro Val Lumnezia project leader Silvio Capeder is also the mayor of the municipality of Cumbel

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Participants

Funded in 1989 by local authorities together with Schweizerische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Berggebiete, WWF, Schweizerischer Naturschutzbund (SNB) und Schweizerischer Vogelschutz;

Objectives

Sustainable regional devlopment; fostering cultural heritage; sustainable resource use; nature and landscape protection

Activities

The Pro Val Lumnezia as a think tank doesn't plan and implement project but facilitates these processes. Supported projects included the completion of hiking trails, the reorganisation of a regional tourism organisation, sustainable forest cultivation and the implementation of district heating fuelled by wood.

Process

Future conferences, workshops, working groups, research activities as base for a regional development concept;

Results

Thanks to the activity of Pro Val Lumnezia already a great number at innovative measures could become implemented. Amongst others, the expansion of the regional hiking trail net, a renaturated bathing-lake, the wood chip heating in Lumrein, a baker's shop in Vattiz, the establishment of a slaughterhouse with high added value for the local meat production and the creation of two village shops. La Talina Lumnezia GmbH is a new online store of the Val Lumnezia-producers which delivers to private housholds, hotel and restaurant industry and grocery stores

Evaluation

No information available

Difficulties

Collaboration between different stakeholders sometimes difficult; persistence regard to existing structures and refusal of innovative ideas and projects;

Financial backer

Region, municipalities, canton, sponsors (depending on inddividual projects)

Source of information

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.vallumnezia.ch

Publication

Ruedi Meier (1986): Angepasster Tourismus : Entwicklung und Aussichten für das Oberlugnez, Kanton Graubünden. Schriftenreihe der SAB, Heft Nr. 12. Brugg: SAB-Verlag

Project executive as above

Contact person as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

The promoted sustainable touristy and agricultural use of the valley preserves the existing cultural and natural landscape

Economic value added

The different projects contributed to the aspired sustainable development of agriculture, tourism and small industry promoted by Pro Val Lumnezia

Socio-cultural value added

Innovation as a necessary principle of regional development increasingly accepted; increased horizontal and vertical networking and collaboration within the valley and with key actors outside Val Lumnezia, e.g. from cantonal and federal administration,

Innovative content

Think tank which facilitates innovative projects; coordination activities to enhance horizontal and vertical collaboration; development and management of organisational and expert knowledge in the policy fields of regional development, agriculture, tourism, forestry, nature protection

Good governance

Pro Val Lumnezia faclilitates the development and implementation of new and innovative ideas - but interested groups have to undertake the concrete planning and implementation of the projects. Therefore, local and regional activities and capabilities are strengthened; familiarisation with participative procedures like e.g. workshops or future conferences

PR impact

Depending on individual projects

Multiplier effect / networking

Horizontal and vertical networking activities since 1989; amongst others with local members of Swiss parliament

Transferability

Think tank approach is well transferable to other regions; regionally accepted project manager will be necessary to achieve legitimisation of the organisation

Further information