A EU Initiative for Pollinators – Your Expertise is Needed
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The European Commission is running a Public Consultation on the EU initiative for pollinators (running until 5 April 2018), to collect views on the decline of pollinators. The questionnaire covers the causes and consequences of pollinator declines, potential mitigation measures and the EU dimension to the problem.
In Europe, pollinators are primarily insects like bees, hoverflies, butterflies, moths, beetles and other fly species. Their rapid decline throughout recent years is alarming, almost 4 out of 5 wildflowers need animal pollination and the majority of crops benefit from it.
Research especially led by European Red List of bees and butterflies increased awareness and knowledge about the reasons and dimension of the threat posed by the decline of pollinators as it leads to the loss of animal pollination.
direct threats to pollinators include land-use change, intensive agricultural management and pesticide use, environmental pollution, invasive alien species, pathogens and climate change.
There is (yet) no specific policy on pollinators at the EU level. So far the issue is mainstreamed throughout various legislation and policies:
environment and health policies, in particular the Birds and Habitats Directives and EU legislation on pesticides
Common Agricultural Policy
Cohesion policy
Research and Innovation policy
Steps towards a EU Pollinator Initiative
European Commission, DG Environment is currently pushing forward to set up a targeted Initiative to tackle the decline of pollinators. The following milestones are part of the process:
Improving knowledge on pollinators
Tackling the causes of the decline of pollinators
Raising awareness and improving collaboration and knowledge sharing
To involve as much expertise and provide as much transparency and options for stakeholder involvement the Commission is running a Public consultation on the EU initiative for pollinators. Citizens, scientists, environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs), farmers, farmers’ associations and farm advisors, beekeepers, rural communities, the agro- and food industry, landscape architects, educational institutions and public authorities are asked to provide their inputs until 5 April 2018.
Have your say and take 20 minutes of your time to fill in the online form in your mother tongue.
(in Spanish) Communications training for Protected Areas
Laptop nature - Goumbik at Pixabay
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EUROPARC Spain organises the 7th edition of the training course “Communication in Protected Areas”. The training course is held in Spanish. Read below all information.
Nueva edición 2018 del Curso de comunicación en espacios protegidos
Hasta el 5 DE FEBRERO se encuentra abierta la inscripción para una nueva edición del CURSO DE COMUNICACIÓN EN ESPACIOS NATURALES PROTEGIDOS, en modalidad semipresencial o bien completamente online, que se desarrollará entre FEBRERO y ABRIL de 2018, con sesiones presenciales (opcionales) programadas el 19 y 20 de marzo en Madrid.
Existe la opción de matrículas reducidas para estudiantes, desempleados y técnicos de administraciones miembros de EUROPARC-España. Es bonificable por la Fundación Tripartita.
EUROPARC is pleased to announce the first webinar of 2018, organised by EUROPARC Atlantic Isles.
Howard Wood (Chair of Community of Arran Seabed Trust) will talk about spearheading a campaign that established the first community-developed Marine Protected Area in Scotland, giving citizens a voice in a debate that has been dominated by the commercial fishing industry.
The Firth of Clyde was once known for plentiful fishing of herring, cod, haddock, and turbot. Small-scale traditional fishing provided a source of livelihood for generations of families in the Clyde and Arran, who were able to fish sustainably thanks to long-standing laws that banned practices that towed fishing gear along the seabed.
However, growing international demand for seafood and sustained lobbying by powerful commercial fishing interests in the 1980s led the British government to repeal various seabed protection measures. Coupled with technological advances in fishing, the new industry-friendly policies opened up the Firth of Clyde to the more destructive fishing practices.
Howard Wood is co-founder and chair of COAST (Community of Arran Seabed Trust) and also founder and director of SIFT. His passion for diving around the Isle of Arran in Scotland since 1974 led him to become a marine environmental campaigner. In 2015 he was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for Europe and for his services to the marine environment an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Charter Partners in Montseny Nature Park renew their commitment
The first ten companies in the Montseny Natural Park area accredited with the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas have renewed their certification
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Article issued by Elisabet Ros Garriga, Montseny Nature Park (also available in Spanish and Catalan below)
The 19th Permanent Forum of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (ECTS) met on Tuesday, December 12, in the multi-purpose hall of the Tagamanent City Council. The event was attended by 42 people, including representatives of the Park, companies and municipalities.
The main objective of the event was the recognition and validation of the renewal of the first ten companies that were accredited with the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in 2014 and to report on the current status of the ECST in the Nature Park and reserve of the Biosphere of the Montseny.
Meeting of the Permanent Forum of Montseny Nature Park, at the Town Hall of Tagamanent, Dec 2017
The session began with a presentation and approval of the strategic indicators to evaluate the impact of the ECST in the Montseny that have been developed during this last year in different work groups. The degree of involvement of the municipalities and the application of the participation criteria that will be carried out during the first semester of 2018 were also discussed.
In this meeting of the Permanent Forum, as a space for consultation and participation of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, the new logo of the ECTS was presented, with a new corporate image, and the triptych of dissemination of the seventeen companies currently accredited with the seal of quality ECST in the Montseny.
The new logo of the ECST available at: www.europarc.org/logo-graphic-guidelines
The meeting ended with the renewal of the accreditation of the first ten companies with ECST certification:
ADEMC (Sant Esteve de Palautordera),
Hostal Bell-lloc (Riells de Montseny),
Educa Viladrau (Viladrau),
the Romaní de Breda (Breda),
Fonda Montseny (Montseny),
Apartamentos CalFerrer (Montseny),
La Morera (el Brull),
Apren Servicios Ambientales (Figaró and Montmany),
Hotel Can Cuch (Cànoves i Samalús)
Bellver-Agustí Restaurant (Tagamanent).
All of them highlighted the opportunity that has given them to enjoy this quality award, for the development of their activity and to be able to work together. They also showed the will and the enthusiasm to continue participating and encouraged the other companies to join the ECST.
From the Town Hall of Tagamanent it was explained to the assistants how it has been possible to have a municipal shop for the elaboration of agricultural products. The meeting ended with a visit to the shop since it is located in the annexed part of the room where the Permanent Forum was held. A tasting peck with local products closed the act.
Las primeras diez empresas del ámbito del Parque Natural del Montseny acreditadas con la Carta Europea de Turismo Sostenible renuevan certificación
El 19º Foro Permanente de la Carta Europea de Turismo Sostenible (CETS) se reunió el martes 12 de diciembre en la sala polivalente del Ayuntamiento de Tagamanent. El acto contó con la presencia de 42 personas, entre representantes de empresas, entidades y representantes de los municipios y del Parque Natural.
El objetivo principal del acto era el reconocimiento y validación de la renovación de las diez primeras empresas que se acreditaron con la Carta Europea de Turismo Sostenible en el año 2014 así como rendir cuentas del estado actual de la CETS en el Parque natural y reserva de la Biosfera del Montseny.
La sesión comenzó con una presentación y aprobación de los indicadores estratégicos para evaluar el impacto de la CETS en el Montseny que se han elaborado durante este último año en diferentes grupos de trabajo. También se habló del grado de implicación de los municipios y de la aplicación de los criterios de participación que se llevarán a cabo durante el primer semestre del 2018.
En esta reunión del Foro Permanente, como espacio de consulta y participación de la Carta Europea de Turismo Sostenible, se presentó el nuevo logotipo de la CETS, con una nueva imagen corporativa, y el tríptico de difusión de las diecisiete empresas acreditadas actualmente con el sello de calidad CETS en el Montseny.
El encuentro terminó con la renovación de la acreditación de las primeras diez empresas con certificación CETS:
ADEMC (Sant Esteve de Palautordera),
Hostal Bell-lloc (Riells de Montseny),
Educa Viladrau (Viladrau),
the Romaní de Breda (Breda),
Fonda Montseny (Montseny),
Apartamentos CalFerrer (Montseny),
La Morera (el Brull),
Apren Servicios Ambientales (Figaró and Montmany),
Hotel Can Cuch (Cànoves i Samalús)
Bellver-Agustí Restaurant (Tagamanent).
Todas ellas destacaron la oportunidad que les ha brindado disfrutar de este sello de calidad para el desarrollo de su actividad y poder trabajar conjuntamente. También mostraron la voluntad y la ilusión de seguir participando y animaron las otras empresas a adherirse a la CETS.
Desde el Ayuntamiento de Tagamanent se explicó a los asistentes cómo se ha conseguido disponer de un obrador municipal para la elaboración de productos agroalimentarios. La reunión terminó con una visita al obrador ya que éste se encuentra en la parte anexa de la sala donde se celebraba el Foro Permanente. Un picoteo degustación con productos locales cerró el acto.
