Objectives:
- Provide practical guidance for protected area managers and stakeholders on their roles in conservation and island sustainability, facilitation of exchange of experience and learning among FREIIA islands on protected area management and island sustainability.
Encourage critical thinking and reflection on role of protected areas in island sustainability, linking research and practical perspectives.
Context:
Most of the FREIIA islands are located within or next to national parks or other protected areas. These include the national parks of Koster, Schiermonnikoog and Ytre Hvaler, a proposed national park and biosphere reserve on Bornholm, and a marine protected area in the case of France a marine protected area. National parks and other protected areas can attract visitors interested in nature and conservation issues. They can also act as a catalyst or platform for broader initiatives and dialogue focused on island sustainability beyond narrowly defined nature conservation concerns.
This seminar will:
- - Provide an overview of current trends in protected area management in Europe
- Introduce and discuss different types of protected areas (national parks, biosphere
reserves, nature parks, marine protected areas...)
- Examine and discuss the actual and potential role of protected areas in promoting
island sustainability, working with islanders and visitors
- Examine and discuss governance structures for protected areas (e.g. role of councils,
advisory boards, committees etc). -
This seminar will draw on lessons from published scientific literature, international good practice, and a discussion of the experiences of the seminar participants on the FREIIA islands.
Participants will be encouraged to actively participate, reporting on their own experiences and engaging in discussion. Participants will not be expected to prepare in advance of the webinar sessions or to write a report afterwards.
Certificates will be issued to all those who successfully complete the Winter School webinar.
Registration: Please register via email to drcormacwalsh@gmail.com by 7. February., providing your name and organisation. Participants will receive the link to attend once they are registered. There is no participation fee.
It is expected that participants attend both sessions as they will follow on from each other.
Dr. Cormac Walsh, a partner on the FREIIA project is a social science researcher at Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg and an independent researcher and consultant, working with public authorities and NGOs on environmental planning, governance and spatial planning topics. His areas of research expertise include protected area management, marine governance and coastal management. He has published extensively on these issues, with a particular focus on the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site and national parks in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands https://cormacwalsh- consult.eu.
FREIIA: Facilitating Resilience Embracing Island Innovation is an Interreg North Sea project (2022- 2026) focused on governance, innovation and sustainability on small North Sea islands. https://www.interregnorthsea.eu/freiia
Contact:
E: drcormacwalsh@gmail.com T: 0049 01714979119
Please do not hesitate to get in touch should you have any questions!