“Whilst we can use Zoom and other digital platforms for a chat amongst friends, a business meeting or an emotional discussion – they will never be able to replace a personal conversation.” DI Johannes Ehrenfeldner
Communicating in the 21st Century? Question your mindset!
Communication is everywhere: from technical reports and social media posts to stakeholder engagement. Those working in Protected Areas need to be equipped with exceptional skills if they want to communicate effectively. How are we speaking to our audiences? What is our perspective on the numerous challenges Protected Areas face? Can technology help us understand and respect nature more?
This was the first EUROPARC gathering since the pandemic and it truly was an amazing reunion of friends and colleagues old and new. As always, the EUROPARC Conference was an great opportunity to share, learn and work together.
Nationalpark Neusieldersee-Seewinkel - conference host
The boundless lake framed by the reed belt, extensive meadows and pastures and salt lakes was recognized early on as a unique natural area. As early as the interwar period, the first protected areas were designated. Finally in 1993 the National Park Lake Neusiedl - Seewinkel was born!
The national park is located in the border area of different landscape zones: Alpine, Pannonian, Asian, Mediterranean and also Nordic influences contribute to very different habitats with a high diversity of species.
„Our stories, like our Protected Areas, are places where we can meet, gain a new understanding of each other and the wider world, and experience once again how we are intrinsically connected.” Mary Alice Athur
World Café
When delegates entered the room, they could already sense that something was going to be different… Instead of regular “cinema seating” in rows, the Conference Hall was set up in café style! This kickstarted the networking aspect of the event immediately. To support that even more, the Conference started off with our “World Café”. Facilitated with the help of Mary Alice Arthur, Delegates had the chance to move across tables and topics to speak from the heart on their experiences, wishes and hopes for the future. A great and interactive start to the Conference, especially following the many remote sessions during the pandemic.
Noelle Aarts:
Professor of Socio-Ecological Interactions and director of the Institute for Science in Society (ISiS) at the Radboud University in Nijmegen
Noelle’s research focuses on interactional processes to create space for change towards socio-ecological transformations. Her aim is to develop insights into the interplay between everyday conversations and wider structures and developments in society. During her keynote address, she reflected on conversations that take place in multi-stakeholder collaboration processes. Often, these conservations result in an even bigger distance between opponents instead of being constructive. Noelle explained why these conversations are so difficult and how we can improve them.
Mind Factories
Mind Factories were this year’s version of workshops. They were grouped under five topics: Biodiversity, Transboundary, Youth, People and Culture, and Parks of the Future.
All presentations can be found on the EUROPARC website here.
Biodiversity
Through his hybrid Mind Factory “Biodiversity of the night”, Christian Raffetseder addressed challenges of light pollution in the context of Protected Areas as well as negative ecological effects. He also highlighted the use of guiding methods for a night nature experience.
Frank Vassen in his Mind Factory “Funding for Protected Areas: Do we need something new?” talked about successes and failures of alternative financing options for the management of Protected Areas in Europe in light of the ambitious targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
Federico Minozzi through his Mind Factory “Communication for conservation” raised the question if we improve the impact of conservation and restoration measures through more effective communication. He argued that, while most projects have shown very good scientific baseline and targets, too frequently the communication side is overlooked or taken for granted.
Transboundary
Anna Kovarovics and Lisa Wolf in their Mind Factory “Linking science and Protected Areas: Scientific communication for the local public” presented how scientific findings can be made more comprehensive to a wider audience and how park managers, rangers or nature guides are the link between scientific findings and their participatory implementation.
In his Mind Factory “Protected Areas networks” Atilla Fersch gave his participants the chance to share knowledge and experience on Transboundary cooperation between Protected Areas through the example of EUROPARC Transboundary Area Fertő-Hanság National Park.
Melanie Erlacher and Vanessa Berger demonstrated through their Mind Factory “New ways of monitoring: New techniques for scientists and visitors” how digitalization is becoming more and more prevalent in nature conservation.
Katarina Žakelj & Max Dubravko Fijačko in their Mind Factory “The magical power of Interpretation” highlighted how critical one´s own interpretation of natural and culture heritage is for the way we shape our common future as well as how interpretation can tell the story of the people, places and landscapes, and its importance for creating deeper connections with nature and Protected Areas.
People & Culture
Hrafnhildur Ævarsdóttir focussed her Mind Factory “Impacts of global warming: A changing environment for locals” on the importance of glaciers as a major source for economic activity and employment in Iceland and how local communities and Protected Areas communicate the challenges ahead concerning disappearing glaciers and ecosystem changes.
The Mind Factory “Park Rangers of the 21st century” by Urs Wegmann emphasized the role of rangers not only as guardians of Protected Areas but also as faces of national parks and often the first point of contact for all nature-related questions. Therefore Urs trained their most important tool of communication: Natural Heritage Interpretation
In her Mind Factory “Words matter, design matters! Re-thinking the way we inform visitors on the dos and don’ts”, Teresa Pastor addressed how the design of the landscape can help drive visitors to the right use of the space.
Youth
Through the Mind Factory “Understanding Young People – How to meaningfully engage Youth” moderated by Pete Rawcliffe, Dougie Pollock and Abi Gardner, participants shared their experience and drew on others’ perspectives. They explored why and how to engage young people, as well as the benefits and challenges of different approaches and tactics.
Esther Bossink & Giorgia Garancini let the participants of their hybrid Mind Factory “Communicating in the digital world” dive into the essentials of digital communication by demonstrating that putting the right recourses in the right place, digital communicating connects Protected Areas with young people.
Parks of the future
In the Mind Factory “Providing a sustainable visitor experience in protected areas: Managing tourism and recreation demands in a digitized world” moderated by Eick Von Ruschkowski, participants took a deeper look at the sustainable tourism perspective of visitor management as part of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism.
As brands shape our everyday lives, Sarah Wendl dedicated her Mind Factory “Protected areas as brands” to the potential and challenge of brands for Protected Areas. Participants focused on the basic idea of a brand by telling their own story as well as on the practical use of brand ideas.
Neil McIntosh devoted his Mind Factory “Innovating capacity building” to the training required for Protected Area managers to be able to manage our natural heritage for tomorrow. He introduced the creation and launch of the European Nature Academy (ENA) to provide nature managers with tailor-made, unique training opportunities.
Mind Factory Conclusion
Every Mind Factory was then joined by a “Conference Ambassador”, young students who helped create the conclusions per theme. These conclusions were then presented through drawings, flipcharts and digital whiteboards on the afternoon of the second day of the Conference. We’d like to thank E.C.O. for their help in making this a success.
Marketplace
There were also opportunities for conference delegates to present their work during the Conference. At the EUROPARC Marketplace participants were given the possibility to set up at stall and present their Park, work or project.
Words create worlds’ – so with the help of oaks, rain and blackbirds let’s weave threads of new, transformational green stories”. Milja Vuković
Plenary Session
The second day started off in a more traditional setting, politicians Astrid Eisenkopf and Valerie Zacherl-Draxler welcomed delegates to the beautiful Burgenland, Austria and underlined the importance of nature conservation and Protected Areas.
Mary Alice Arthur – Story Activist at SOAR
Apart from guiding participants through the World Café, Mary Alice also provided a Keynote Speech. She is a Story Activist, using story practice for positive systemic shift, and an internationally recognised process host. As an Art of Hosting steward, Mary Alice teaches participatory process and works with organisations and groups all over the world. She is the author of “365 ALIVE! Find your voice. Claim your story. Live your brilliant life” and hosts THE STORY DOJO, an online community focused on the power and practice of story. She is a co-creator of Collective Story Harvest. During her keynote address, she spoke about the stories we tell ourselves and each other. We tell them, not only to make sense and meaning of the world, but also determine our agency. Through her keynote, participants discovered how stories from the past can meet a vastly different future and how they can continue to hold up and strengthen our work. Participants also were “put to work” in this interactive experience, giving them the change to discover the theory behind Story Sharing.
Matthias Schickhofer – Conservationist, author, photographer and journalist
Matthias Schickhofer is a conservationist, strategy consultant, campaigner, author, photographer and journalist. He cooperates with NGOs such as EuroNatur, WWF or Vier Pfoten on a range of different projects & campaigns. He also develops nature tourism projects (Bear Trail, Iseltrail, Waldviertel nature experience). In his keynote address Matthias looked at the challenging times we are currently living in, where wealth seems to be put over nature. How can we stop from being discouraged? How do we regain optimism and energy for positive change? In this though-provoking keynote, Matthias looked at both negative, as well as positive examples from across Europe.
Milja Vuković – Blue and Green regional ecological platform, Serbia
Milja Vuković is an art historian and environmental activist. She found the regional ecological platform “Blue and Green”, which consists of Wild Belgrade & For less garbage and more happiness – Zero and Low Waste Serbia. She’s driven by the understanding how we as individuals and as a community can deepen our relation with the natural world and develop meaningful regenerative practices. Milja spoke about the challenges and opportunities of ecological communication in the current time of ecological crisis. How can we question our habits and create new ways of conveying inciting messages?
Cultural Program
Wednesday evening, the Apetlon Music Association immersed the participants in the local musical culture. Pero dance school set things in motion and turned nature lovers into potential dance star contenders.
“Let us use protected areas and their natural and cultural heritage as seedbeds for healing hearts and souls.” Matthias Schickhofer
“We are silent fighters, our nature, our protected areas are our strongest weapon, let's use them for the good cause.” DI Johannes Ehrenfeldner
Local Specialties Fair
Late Thursday afternoon, the stalls of the local specialties fair filled the event location with Burgenland flair. From the dried meat of Peckbrothers, the sweet temptation of Connys Frucht in Form, the delicious products of Allerhand Burgenland and good smelling soaps of KrisMar to the relaxing hemp production of Biobloom - the whole region was represented. Of course, the excellent Burgenland wine was not to be missed, which was ready for tasting.
Award Ceremony & Gala Dinner
There was also time to celebrate success! We were finally able to award the Parks that joined the EUROPARC Transboundary Parks Programme in the past few years.
The Parks (re)-awarded were:
- Háldi Transboundary Area
- Transboundary Area Julian Alps
- Bavarian Forest & Šumava National Parks
- Krkonoše & Karkonosze National Parks
- Podyjí & Thayatal National Parks
- International Naturpark Bourtanger Moor – Bargerveen
Additionally, we could finally award our Alfred Toepfer Scholarship winners of 2020.
Of course, we finished it off with a great Gala Dinner and dancing.
