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Good Practice

PFYN-FINGES Living and Experience Area

As part of DYNALP the region around the Pfynwald should be developed in a sustainable way. To this end, the different uses of the Wildlife and Landscape Centre should be connected with agriculture and forestry and tourism in a sustainable way (from a social, economic and environmental viewpoint). The project features 5 stages: in current Stage 3 a basic Report is drafted. For a few years now, towns and boroughs around the Pfynwald have recognised the richness of the area and its potential for tourism. They have also noticed that there are mutual dependencies, and that single actions have few possibilities of success. For this reason, collaboration was decided. By joining forces, the project will be carried on for a sustainable development of the "Pfyn-Finges Living and Experience Area". In 1996 the town of Salgesch decided to take part in the alpine town network "Alpine Alliance". This way it will concretely implement the Alpine Convention at a communal level. During the pilot stage, both fields of action "Agriculture" and "Tourism" were drafted in Salgesch.

Aims

* Enhancement of the Pfyn-Finges region and its environment as living and experience area (in the sense of sustainable development)
* Protection, preservation and enhancement of this natural and cultural area
* Creation and preservation and jobs, thus increasing regional value creation
* Preservation and promotion of the cultural identity and the collaboration between Upper and Lower Wallis
* Promotion of healthy, quality tourism
* Promotion of the harmonious relationship of humans and nature.

Realization

Definition of the Project Committee and its competences, approval of Working Programmes, annual accounts and budget and decision about future actions (through a General Meeting = all project members), definition of project leadership, working teams and experts and assignment of tasks and mandates. Approval of objectives (through Project Committee = Regions Leuk, Sierre, Town Salges, Areaplan AG)
Coordination, cost planning, time scale, quality assurance, administration (through project leadership - currently Areaplan AG, Town Salgesch)
Definition of basic report and formulation of the consultancies that accompany the objectives (through ancillary

Impact

The implementation of the "Pfyn-Finges" project generates positive effects in different fields. Intra-communal and intra-regional collaboration is promoted through networking and the mutual dependencies of this exhaustive project. Political weight emerges through partnerships, in particular from showing a united front. . From an economic viewpoint with the introduction of healthy Tourism, the summer tourist offer in and around Pfynwald is widened. Central Wallis thus becomes more attractive as holiday destination. Furthermore, a coordinated and common approach to the market supports the sale of regional products and services outside the region.
From an ecological viewpoint, the protection of the Pfyn-Finges area is ensured, with the simultaneous healthy tourist use. The visitors are guided, recreation areas are created. The use of renewable resources, such as, forest, water courses, agricultural land, fish population, is organised in such a way that the usage density is never higher than the natural regeneration rate. From a social viewpoint, the "Pfyn-Finges" project generates a change of attitude, since large population circles have been involved in the planning process. This way a multicultural collaboration within both language regions is promoted. By creating an attractive nearby recreation area, existing houses increase their value and therefore overall quality of life improves.

Location

Salgesch, Varen, Leuk, Sierre

Involved

Currently the participants at the project are the following: Regions Leuk and Sierre, Pfynwald bordering towns and boroughs of Leuk, Salgesch, Sierre and Varen, the tourism association of Leuk and Sierre, Salgesch and the environment as well as the Pfyn estate.

Financing

Lump sum of Towns and Region; 5 x CHF 15,000 = CHF 75,000, BUWAL Promotion Programme "Sustainable Switzerland" participation of the Wallis Canton, possibly federal and cantonal service institutions as well as various associations.
The residual amount must be covered by contributions (grants, contributions from associations, eco-sponsors, etc.)

Contact person

ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandet Wissenschaften
Institut Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen
Peter Marty
Grüental
  / CH
Phone number: +41 58 934 59 42
Fax: +41 44 789 99 11
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unr.ch

Apr 03, 2007