The EUROPARC Federation

29/10/2026

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬!

This week, over 60 Protected Area Managers, representatives of different national environment agencies, scientists, and Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) specialists gathered in the beautiful monastery of Camaldoli, Italy.

🤝 The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to approach PAME holistically. From technical expertise, to socio-economic trade-offs: PAME is much more than just filling out a form. This process ensures that conservation efforts support the best results for nature and people.

💙 EUROPARC is incredibly grateful to have been able to organise this event thanks to the generous support of Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi. It also provided a valuable opportunity to meet with the Head of the Unit for Establishment, monitoring and management of protected areas, Maria Lombardi, as well as present updates on the EUROPARC led LIFE PAME-Europe project.

A video of the event is also available here (in Italian): https://www.teletruria.it/notizie/attualita/europarcil-meeting-nel-parco-nazionale/

26/10/2026

🇮🇹The Executive Director of the EUROPARC Federation, Alberto Arroyo Schnell and the President of Federparchi Europarc Italia, Luca Santini, met at the Camaldoli monastery in the Cosentino Forests National Park. The meeting took place on the margins of a two-day event (26-27 October) focusing on Protected Area Management Effectiveness.

🌿The discussion, in which the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security was also represented, centred on how to reinforce the role of Protected Areas at the European level. The relevance of engaging in policy discussions to ensure the best outcome for European Protected Areas was also highlighted. President Santini noted that Italian Parks are leading the way across Europe in their adoption of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas, the EUROPARC-promoted framework. He also stressed the importance of a strong European perspective in supporting Protected Areas and delivering on the 30x30 target of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030.

ℹ️The event taking place in Italy brings together around a hundred professionals from across the continent, including Park Managers, Researchers, Institutional Representatives and Conservation Experts. It is made possible through the generous support of Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna.

23/10/2026

🏔️ Welcome to EUROPARC, Comapedrosa Natural Park!

Located in Andorra, Comapedrosa Natural Park is the country’s largest natural park, covering 1,542 hectares of spectacular high-mountain landscapes.

Home to Andorra’s highest peak, Alt de Comapedrosa (2,942 m), the park also protects glacial lakes, around 700 plant taxa and more than 140 vertebrate species. 🦎🌿

We are delighted to welcome Comapedrosa Natural Park to the EUROPARC community and look forward to sharing its work and experiences across Europe! 💚

https://www.europarc.org/news/2026/10/welcome-to-comapedrosa-natural-park-andorra/

22/10/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭.🌱

The extreme temperatures across Europe this summer have once again highlighted the vital role of green spaces in and around our cities.

From cooling urban areas to providing essential habitats for biodiversity, Periurban Parks deliver benefits for both people and nature. To maximise their potential, these valuable spaces need dedicated financial resources.

📢 The new position paper, “Periurban Parks: Their Place in European Policies”, developed by the EUROPARC Periurban Parks Working Group, explores how Periurban Parks contribute to a wide range of European policy objectives.

As discussions on the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) reach a critical stage, EUROPARC underlines that investing in Protected Areas means investing in a healthier, greener and more resilient Europe.

📄 Discover the position paper and the full list of recommendations for the next EU MFF: https://www.europarc.org/news/2026/10/new-position-paper-periurban-parks-their-place-in-european-policies/

21/10/2026

🌿Environmental challenges don’t stop at state borders-and neither can our solutions.

As political landscapes turn inward, the real work connected to climate adaptation, biodiversity loss, and habitat protection depends on our ability to look outward. Swipe through for two key reminders on why transboundary cooperation isn’t just ideal, but necessary.

Which takeaway hits home for you?

NP Šumava Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald Reisa nasjonalpark

19/10/2026

🌿Welcome to the EUROPARC Federation, Rohkunborri nasjonalpark!

Situated between Narvik and Tromsø in northern Norway, this park brings together glaciers, a spectacular canyon, vast wetlands and old forests. It is also a living cultural landscape, where Sámi reindeer herders play a central role in how the park is governed.

With climate change bringing more rain and flooding to the north, Rohkunborri is building resilient infrastructure and is eager to share and learn with colleagues across Europe.

Read the full story: https://www.europarc.org/news/2026/10/rohkunborri-national-park-joins-the-network/

We are delighted to welcome Rohkunborri National Park as our newest member. Located in northern Norway, between the cities of Narvik and Tromsø, it brings one of the region's wildest and most varied landscapes to our community.

14/10/2026

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.

👉 EU environmental laws are currently under pressure, through the Stress Test of the EU Nature Directives, but also other so-called 'simplification' actions.

The campaign is almost at 1 million signatures. Led by a group of European NGOs, these signatures will be handed over to Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall to underline the public support for protecting Europe's nature laws.

💪 Help them get to 1 million! You can sign the petition here: https://handsoffnature.eu/take-action/

Learn more about the Stress Test here: https://www.europarc.org/news/2026/06/birds-and-habitats-directives-undergo-stress-test

13/10/2026

🌿 New Case Study: When Footsteps Help Nature: Sustainable Tourism Supporting Salt Marsh Conservation 🌿

How can we combine habitat restoration with visitor education, guided activities and community engagement?

LIFE in Salt Marshes transforms visitors from potential sources of disturbance into active partners in biodiversity conservation while increasing public understanding of protected area management.

Read more here: https://www.europarc.org/case-studies/sustainable-tourism-supporting-salt-marsh-conservation/

Photo credits:
Grazing cattle: Nina Babicová
Bombina bombina: Marie Kotasová Adámková
Tripolium pannonicum: Martin Liška

This project is funded by the LIFE EU funding and the Czech Ministry of Environment

08/10/2026

🌿When it comes to nature, administrative borders simply don’t exist!

In our latest Spotlight Story on Transboundary Nature Conservation, we take a closer look at how Protected Areas across Europe - from the Krkonoše/Karkonosze peatlands to the Arctic landscapes of Pasvik-Inari and the Alpine peaks of Binntal Veglia Devero - are tackling shared environmental challenges together.

We also spoke with Pavel Bečka, Chair of the EUROPARC Transboundary Programme Working Group, about what working across borders truly means on the ground:

𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒 - 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑒 𝑑𝑜 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘, 𝑤𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐸𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒: 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑. 𝑊𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘

🔗Check out the link to see how cross-border cooperation turns shared challenges into real-world conservation impact!
https://www.europarc.org/news/2026/10/spotlight-story-overcoming-challenges-with-transboundary-solutions/
____________________

Parchi Veglia Devero Antrona - Aree Protette Ossola
Landschaftspark Binntal
NP Šumava
Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald
Karkonoski Park Narodowy
KRNAP
Øvre Pasvik nasjonalpark - Báhčaveaji álbmotmeahcci

07/10/2026

👏👏 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦! 👏👏

The EUROPARC STAR Awards recognise the remarkable efforts of Sustainable Tourism businesses, operating within an awarded Protected Area.

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔?

👉 Swipe right to discover this edition's winners!

🥇 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

Società Agricola Montagna Verde (Italy, Appennino Tosco Emiliano National Park)

This business integrated approach to sustainable rural development makes Montagna Verde Agriturismo a deserving overall winner of this edition.

🥈 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

Ipalan (Spain, Garajonay National Park)

Ipalan's strong relation with the Protected Area and exemplary engagement of visitors in conservation activities made them the runner up!

🥉 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

Bodega Vinculo Serrano (Spain, Batuecas-Sierra de Francia Natural Park)

Among other things, Bodega Vínculo Serrano's contribution to regenerative agriculture earned them this honourable mention.

EUROPARC sincerely congratulates the winners!

🔗 Read more about the winners:

https://www.europarc.org/news/2026/10/2026-star-award-winners/