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ALPLAKES - Alpine Lakes Network

Creation of a network to improve management of Alpine lakes and lakesides in the long-term

Last update: 10/ 2/2008

Aim
The Alpine lakes have cultural significance and are highly attractive on both emotive and economic levels. Because of this, they concentrate important human settlements and various activities which put considerable detrimental pressure on lakes and lakeside.
The resulting challenge is large-scale: how can the development of the lake areas be reconciled with maintaining their ecological and hydrological assets in the long-term? The problems experienced in managing these lake areas, by the regional and local authorities, seem quite similar, but the difficulties and the solutions found in response by each authority are relatively unknown to the others, to the concerned populations and to the associated lake areas managers, due to weak cooperation.
This project aims at stimulating exchange between the various relevant communities by networking them in order to help them pool their assets and strengths in synergies with a view to sustainable development.

Activities
The main challenge of this INTERREG project consists in creating a durable network of Alpine lakes managers.
The project Alplakes offers a multisectoral approach on Alpine lakes and lakesides: environmental, ecotourism, users’ conflicts management involving different kinds of lake managers, as scientists, local actors and professionals. The network develops many activities aiming to valorise natural and cultural heritage, and to increase public and local actors (included political actors) awareness. The main objective is to involve the most various actors and to give them working habits; practices of work with exchange of data, exchange of experiences, exchange of know-how, exchange of knowledge, realisation of events like meetings, colloquiums, conferences… This is the guarantee to perpetuate the network.

Outcomes and results
The concrete foreseen results are the following:
- Shared and coordinated observations of the lakes and lakeside: identification of common indicators that will be observed by experts and will be appraised by the public, creation of a data base and of a common technical notebook.
- Appraisal of lakeside heritage and ecotourism promotion: identification of “good ecotourism practices”, creation of a common transnational quality charter for ecotourism, creation of a label and/or promotion of existing labels with ecoproducts and eco-activities.
- Mobilisation of professionals and local operators with Regards to sustainable development issues: creation of notebooks and exemplary practice charters concerning 3 study travels, elaboration of guides for “Environmental education”, “Navigation” and “Lake public access”.
- Further information and publicity activities will be conducted, as the creation of a visual identity (a logo), an “Alpine lakes” website with expert access and public access and the organisation of two biannual conferences.

Lead partner
- Region Rhône-Alpes, Francia

Other partners
- Provincia di Belluno, Italy –
- Regione Lombardia, D.G. Reti, Servizi di Pubblica Utilità e Sviluppo Sostenibile with IREALP technical support, Italy
- ARPA Piemonte, Italy
- CRT (Comité regional du tourisme) Rhône-Alpes, France
- NIB - Nacionalni inštitut za biologijo, Slovenia
- Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Italy
- Regione Veneto, Italy
- DTL – Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Italy
- Kärntner Institut für Seenforschung, Austria

Duration: 11.2004 – 01.2008
Total budget in EUR: 2.647.382
ERDF in EUR: 1.368.161

Attachment note
Click below to download project documents produced by Regione Lombardia – D.G. D.G. Reti, Servizi di Pubblica Utilità e Sviluppo Sostenibile with IREALP technical support.

• Alpine lakes. A common approach to the characterisation of lakes and their catchment area - (21MB)
  
  
• Brochure “Alpine lakes. Survey between land and water" - (52MB)
  
  
• Studio della fascia riparia dei laghi lombardi come supporto alla definizione dell'indice di funzionalità perilacuale (IFP) - (11MB)

Other project publications:

• Environmental balance sheet - (5MB)
  
  
• Conservation of biodiversity in the alpine lake areas (3MB)
  
  
• Ecotourism good practices. Guide book - (9MB)
  
  
• Education for Sustainable Development in lake areas. Practical guide - (6MB)
  
  

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