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One hundred Charter Parks - celebrate with us at EUROPARC 2012!
EUROPARC Federation is proud to announce the 100th certified Charter-park in Europe. Located at the border with Umbria and Tuscany in Italy, Monte Rufeno Nature Reserve, established in 1983, has received its final evaluation and certification. “We congratulate Monte Rufeno to this great achievement!”, says Carol Ritchie, director of the EUROPARC Federation. The park just got evaluated by EUROPARC´s evaluation committee and was supported in its process by EUROPARC Consulting. Monte Rufeno is a member of EUROPARC Italy´s section, Federparchi.
In the light of sustainable regional development, the Rufeno Nature Park area started the charter process in 2004 in order to enhance the environmental and socio-economic development of this part of the protected areas system of Lazio. It covers a surface area of 2,892 hectares in the Town of Acquapendente region.
The certification process of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas (ECST) is an in-depth mechanism in which all stakeholders of a region or area are getting involved. In Rufeno, a steering committee was established to oversee and guide the process of developing analyses, conducting research, mobilization people and the finally presenting the required papers and documents. The importance of including representatives and entities of the public, private, governmental and non-governmental arena proved valid: now, happily the nature park received its certification.
EUROPARC Federation is happy to see that its methodology of tourism certification proves so successful in a growing number of European countries, and is looking forward to assist parks in their way forward. Already in 1995 took EUROPARC the initiative to set up the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas, with a project funded by the EU’s LIFE programme and led by the Fédération des Parcs naturels régionaux de France on behalf of EUROPARC. The Charter was created to provide a lasting and effective framework to translate the recommendations of the report into practical measures to make sustainable tourism a reality throughout protected landscapes across Europe.
For information about the Charter, visit the Charter Website or write to us.
This year´s Charter Awards will be handed over to certified parks at EUROPARC´s Conference 2012 in Genk, Belgium.
