Nature Park stations in Bernese parks

Nature Parks can be described as model regions for sustainable development. These valuable landscapes are highly biodiverse and promote awareness and appreciation of natural habitats. For residents, they also create opportunities for economic activity that is both environmentally friendly and socially compatible – through regional products, agriculture, or tourism. However, generating value through tourism, for example, can cause conflicts of interest between conservation and use.

This is the setting for the project “Nature Park stations in Bernese parks” of the Wyss Academy for Nature and the Canton of Bern. The project aims to develop new ideas in the canton of Bern’s Chasseral, Diemtigtal, and Gantrisch regional Nature Parks, and to make sustainability tangible and accessible for visitors. 

Research adds value

CDE is providing scientific support to the project in order to maximize synergies and generate added value. This support is aimed at closing the gap between knowledge and action, on the one hand, and developing new, sustainable offerings with all key actors of the Bernese parks, on the other.

In addition, the scientific support combines global and local research findings on Nature Parks. It is intended to serve as a mutual source of inspiration for innovations and sustainable development in such parks.

Aims and approach

Specifically, the research support addresses three key questions:

1. How can the effectiveness of knowledge dissemination and awareness-raising efforts be measured and increased?
2. How can conflicts between sustainability goals be minimized and synergies maximized?
3. How can tensions between conservation and (recreational) use of nature be reduced?

The research is structured into five Work Packages:

The first Work Package will scientifically prepare theoretical and applied concepts on awareness-raising and knowledge dissemination via Nature Park stations, focused on the conservation and use of landscape and nature as well as on interactions between sustainability goals.

In the second Work Package, scientists will conduct a situation analysis together with key stakeholders of the three Nature Parks. The aim is to identify conservation and use requirements, current and potential conflicts of interest, and possible synergies for each of the three parks. 

The third Work Package aims to develop innovative and effective knowledge-transfer and awareness-raising-measures in cooperation with the three Nature Parks, the canton, and further actors. This will help to reduce conflicts between conservation and (tourism-related) use of landscape and nature in the long term, and maximize synergies between sustainability goals.

The fourth Work Package will summarize the results and experiences and prepare them for application at both the national and the international level.

The fifth Work Package focuses on the exchange of knowledge and experience with other parks in Switzerland and abroad, with the aim of initiating innovative and effective solutions for greater sustainability.