Cross-border participative planning in areas of major naturalistic value in the Southern Julian Alps
The project regards the drawing up of a joint plan for the protection and management of the cross-border area that includes, in Italy, the Natural Park of Julian Pre-Alps and the Northern Julian Prealps SCI - Site of Community Importance and, in Slovenia, the National Park of Triglav and the Natura 2000 and MAB-Unesco areas located in the Municipalities of Bovec (Plezzo) and Kobarid (Caporetto). In order to draw up a plan, that represents an essential tool to coordinate the relation between nature and the impact of man on nature, the project envisages the establishment of a Permanent Joint Work Group made up of representatives of the two park management authorities and the other participating partners. Local administrations and the resident population also take an active role in the definition of the plan, by expressing in the course of various Workshops their opinions, proposals and reservations with reference to its contents. The initiative aims at identifying joint forms of cross-border management in this area of major environmental interest, by favouring its sustainable development and fighting abandonment. The project also aims at consolidating the knowledge of existing naturalistic, landscape, cultural and socio-economic values, improving mutual knowledge among the partners through the exchange of experiences, and at fostering the sense of identity among local communities.