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Last Login: 5/19/2010 9:46:15 AM
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| More than 240 participants from 40 countries convened in Prague from 27-28 May for the Conference on Wilderness and Large Natural Habitat Areas. Hosted by the Czech European Union Presidency and the European Commission, the conference brought together government officials, nature agencies, conservation NGOs, academics and interested parties from agriculture, forestry, business and other sectors. WILD's President Vance Martin, Board Chair Charlotte Baron and new Vice President for Conservation Strategy Harvey Locke were all in attendance. Jo Roberts, Director of The Wilderness Foundation (UK) gave a fantastic presentation on social programs that use the healing power of wilderness for leadership building, rehabilitation and personal growth.
The conference was an exciting new step in the drive to protect the remaining 1% of Europe’s land that is still wild, with sincere congratulations hanks to the visionary chairmanship of Ladislav Miko (currently the Czech Minister of Environment), and the organizing team headed by Toby Aykroyd (Vice Chair, Wilderness Foundation, UK) and Zoltan Kun (Director, PanParks). The main outcomes of the conference are contained in the Polselstivi (Message) from Prague, and the follow up work is well underway, the results of which can be followed on the Wild Europe website.
Asa Norrman, Nature Director, Ministry of the Environment of Sweden noted in his closing of the conference, "The conference inspires us all to start rethinking our relationship to nature. During the Swedish Presidency special attention will be given to the links between biodiversity, ecosystem services, climate change, and human well being."
Following the conference, accompanied by Charlotte Baron and German environmental journalist Till Meyer, WILD’s President Vance Martin was hosted jointly by the Sumava National Park and the Bayerisherwald (Bavarian) National Park for a site visit their adjoining parks - what is called The Wild Heart of Europe. They are working together on what amounts to the first transboundary wilderness area in Europe. The visit to both parks was as exciting as it was informative. This visionary example of natural resource management has been on-going since the fall of the Iron Curtain, and protects critical habitat under a wilderness management regime, including wetlands, mountain plateau, old-growth forest, and the, Bayerisherwald’s interpretive center, Haus auf Wildnes – a very impressive wilderness interpretive center!
Emily Loose
Site Manager
The WILD Foundation |
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