Saturday, October 20, 2007

Workshop „PAN Parks as a tool to improve management effectiveness in protected areas”

25th October 2007, Tõramaa (Soomaa National Park Visitor Centre)

Programme

10.30 – 11.00 Arrival to Tõramaa (Soomaa National Park Visitor Centre)
11.00 – 11.15 Welcome - Enn Vilbaste (SNCC Pärnu-Viljandi Region, director) , Tõnis Korts (Soomaa Cooperation Panel)
11.15 – 12.00 PAN Parks as a tool to improve management effectiveness in protected areas - Vlado Vancura (PAN Parks Foundation, conservation manager)
12.00 – 12.30 State Nature Conservation Centre’s vision about visitor management and nature education in Estonian protected areas - Taime Puura (SNCC, head specialist on nature education and visitor management)
12.30. – 13.00 The management of Soomaa National Park – retrospect to the last decade - Meelis Suurkask (SNCC Pärnu-Viljandi, conservation planning specialist)
13.00 – 13.30 Potential Local Partners View on the Opportunities and Challenges of PAN Parks Network - Aivar Ruukel (soomaa. com, entrepreneur)
13.30 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 16.00 Discussion « Soomaa as potential PAN Park »
Lead by Murel Merivee (SNCC Pärnu-Viljandi, conservation planning specialist)

Registration : agu.leivits@nigula.ee 5101175 up to 23.10.2007

Information about PAN Parks Federation: http://www.panparks.org

Europa`s Wilderness Days

European network of wilderness protected areas - PAN Parks, celebrated its 10 years and had the Annual Partner Meeting in the region of Rila National Park, near the town Razlog, southwestern Bulgaria, in October 8-12.

The PAN Parks network was created by WWF to preserve the European biodiversity but since its establishment in 1997 it slightly changed its concept. Now, its main purpose is not only biodiversity preservation but also ecotourism development in the national parks of the network. There are currently 9 certified national parks in the network: Majella National Park – Italy, Oulanka National Park – Finland, Paanajarvi National Park – Russia, Central Balkan National Park and Rila National Park – Bulgaria, Bieszczady National Park - Poland, Fulufjället National Park - Sweden, Borjomi Kharagauli National Park - Georgia, Retezat National Park - Romania.

More than 100 participants, from about 20 countries, took part in the conference. Themes covered in keynote speeches and issues that was discussed in the workshops included : marketing and product development of tourism products, SME`s working together on collaborative marketing, eco-certification, strengthening the PAN Parks brand and others.

More about how to support, preserve, enjoy Europe's wilderness, see website http://www.panparks.org
See
My pictures from conference, field-trips and celebration.

Aivar Ruukel
ecotourism operator based in
Soomaa National Park, Estonia


Estonian Ecotourism