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PAN Parks: Protecting Europe's Wilderness through Sustainable Tourism

PAN Parks, a European network of protected areas, aims to improve nature protection through sustainable tourism development. It offers a reliable trademark for conservation based on independent verification. Learn about the principles, criteria, and process of certification.

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PAN Parks: Protecting Europe's Wilderness through Sustainable Tourism

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  2. What is PAN Parks? • PAN (Protected Area Network) Parks is a operational certification system aiming to improve nature protection by sustainable tourism development. • A European network of wilderness protected areas • widely recognised as Europe’s elite nature sites • supported by a reliable trademark for conservation and sustainable tourism based on independent verification. Photo: Andrei Blumer

  3. Why PAN Parks? • Europe’s national parks are under threat • Parks are under-valued and suffer poor protection due to logging, hunting and road building • Parks lack sufficient political and community support • No awareness = No worries = No action Photo: Joep van de Vlasakker

  4. Why PAN Parks? • Sustainable tourism offers an opportunity to Benefit beyond the Park Boundaries: • Add economic value to park conservation • Build partnerships between relevant stakeholders • Build awareness, pride and a sense of ownership in a park • Partake in a growing economic sector: 8% European growth rate Photo: Ryszard Nater

  5. PAN Parks Principles, Criteria and Indicators • New standards for conservation and sustainable development • PAN Parks must meet 5 comprehensive principles • Principles allow for objective, independent verification and transparency • Backbone of the initiative • A framework for partnerships Photo: CBNP

  6. PAN Parks Principles, Criteria and Indicators • A blueprint for greening Europe • Principle 1: • Rich Natural Heritage • Principle 2: • Nature Management • Principle 3: • Visitor Management • Principle 4: • Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy • Principle 5: • Partnerships Photo: Peter Oleksak

  7. Certification based on independent verification • What is the process? • Area submits an application based on Principles 1-3 • PAN Parks Foundation recommends verification, independent verifiers travel to the area • After approval, PAN Park sets up local group to work on Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy • Local partners get certified Photo: Karin Eriksson

  8. PRINCIPLE 1 and 2: Nature & management • Natural ecological process and biodiversity • Areas must have a management plan • Natural ecological values must be maintained • Zoning system must ensure protection of nature conservation values • Management must pay special attention to endangered / endemic species Photo: PAN Parks

  9. Criteria & Indicators • Conservation management indicators • Relevant conservation authority approves management plan • Minimum size 20.000 hectares • Monitor effects of the management’s actions systematically • List all allowed human activities within each zone • Ban all extractive use in the core zone Photo: Ryszard Nater

  10. PRINCIPLE 3: Visitor management • Visitor management: • a safeguard for natural values • Areas must have a visitor management plan • Visitors are offered a wide range of high quality activities • Visitor management must create understanding for conservation goals • Training programmes are organised for protected area staff Photo:Andrei Blumer

  11. PRINCIPLE 4: Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy (STDS) • Combining nature conservation and sustainable tourism • Area must have sufficient carrying capacity for sustainable tourism development • All relevant stakeholders to form local PAN Parks group • Local group to implement and monitor STDS • Tourism development must follow ecological and socio-economic criteria Photo: David Weaver

  12. PRINCIPLE 5: Partnerships • Business partners who join: • Follow national legislation • Support verified PAN Park and its management goals • Participate in the implementation of STDS • Contribute to the quality improvement of the region’s tourism offer Photo:PAN Parks

  13. What have we done so far? (1) • Self-assessment by 18 PAs in 15 European countries • PAN Parks Principles and Criteria endorsed • Verification Manual developed (refined based on ‘in the field experience’) • Small Grants Fund – support 3 PAs in verification PAN Parks feasts Photo: Ryszard Nater

  14. PAN Parks feasts • What have done so far? (2) • Bieszczady (Poland), Fulufjallet (Sweden) and Oulanka (Finland) National Park certified • Tourism Manual developed to assist parks in tourism strategy development • 1st international partner (PAN Parks Accomodations BV) • Professional quarterly magazine (PAN Parks Courier) and website (www.panparks.org) Photo: Hannu Hautala

  15. PAN Parks in 2003 • What is ahead of us? • Verification of 1 protected area • 3rd PAN Parks Conference • Evaluation of visibility toolkit • Website promotion • Agreement with international tourism companies • Lots and lots more Photo: Paavo Hamunen

  16. Candidate and Prospective candidate PAN Parks 2001 support, preserve, enjoy Europe's wilderness!

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