PRESS RELEASE: Benefits for Nature and people

   300 European environmental experts meet in the Schwabian Alb Biosphere Reserve, Germany

From 21st – 24th September 2011 experts from national, nature parks and other natural protected areas meet in Bad Urach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany for EUROPARC 2011, the largest networking meeting in Europe for those working with and for Europe’s most beautiful places. In workshops, speeches and on excursions over 300 international participants will discuss urgent environmental themes and share their experiences regarding the protection of Europe’s natural landscapes.

One of the largest conferences in the field of nature protection is taking place in Germany this year: the EUROPARC Conference 2011. Conference hosts are the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg and the EUROPARC Federation, the umbrella organisation for European protected areas.

The focus of the four days is the them ‘Quality Counts – Benefits for Nature and People’. During speeches, on excursions and at workshops participants will concern themselves with questions concerning the correct approach to the conservation of Europe’s natural and cultural landscapes. The aim of the conference is to develop solutions and to deliver innovative, forward looking approaches that guarantee the effective management of protected areas.

Speakers from Germany and beyond will give keynote speeches at the conference:

Ursula Heinen-Esser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety: “Contribution of National Natural Landscapes to the implementation of the German biodiversity strategy“

Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs, Chair of the European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils, Member of the Advisory Council on the Enviroment: „European Protected Areas: Visions for the Future, Lessons from the Past

Eberhard Brandes, CEO of WWF Germany: “Diversity of actors for diversity of life“

Ed Gillespie, Co-Founder of Futerra Sustainability Communications: “Claws, Paws & the Cause: How Branding Biodiversity can transform your communications“

Trevor Sandwith, Director Global Protected Areas Programme IUCN, “Protected areas: life insurance for a changing planet“

The conference is taking place with support from the Federal Agency for Nature Protection, Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union of Germany, WWF, the Allianz Environmental Foundation and the Commerzbank.

A detailed programme and more information are available at www.europarc.com.

If you want to participate in this conference as a press representative please contact us:

Morwenna Parkyn, Communications Officer

EUROPARC Federation, Waffnergasse 6, 93047 Regensburg, Germany

Direct line: +49 (0)941 599 35 98-3, Office tel: +49 (0)941 599 35 98-0

m.parkyn@europarc.org, Skype: morwenna.parkyn.europarc