Strategic Planning for Alpine River Ecosystems – Integrating protection and development
The Alps are Europe’s WATER-TOWERS, providing MULTIPLE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES such as water for human consumption, agriculture, industry, energy and maintaining tourism, recreation & quality of life not only for the residents but also for surrounding lowlands & big metropolitan areas. Alpine rivers are the “BLUE BACKBONES” OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, but only healthy rivers can provide such essential services: they are a VULNERABLE NATURAL CAPITAL under pressure with the need of balancing PROTECTION & DEVELOPMENT. RIVER GOVERNANCE IS FRAGMENTED and diverging among and within countries: so far, knowledge transfer of good practices & policies has been weak. _x000D_
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SPARE aims at EXCHANGING, ADAPTING AND CAPITALIZING STRATEGIC PLANNING & RIVER MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCES across different spatial & governance levels. Going beyond administrative borders, the requirements of a catchment wide perspective and trans-national cooperation can be considered. Therefore, SPARE will act in a TRANSDISCIPLINARY WAY combining socio-political, economic and ecological assets and integrating inputs from different stakeholders and beneficiaries. _x000D_
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SPARE’s main outputs:_x000D_
• a collection of RIVER MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES & BEST SOLUTIONS_x000D_
• a set of GOVERNANCE TOOLS_x000D_
• a pan-Alpine overview of PRIORITY RIVERS with HIGH PROTECTON NEED_x000D_
• GUIDANCES on INNOVATIVE RIVER PROTECTION & MANAGEMENT PROCESSES across different spatial and administrative level_x000D_
• an INTERACTIVE PLATFORM OF KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE