Success of HABITALP

“HABITALP is a story of successful cooperation throughout the Alps”, says Michael Vogel, Director of the Berchtesgaden National Park, with delight. Guido Plassmann from the Alpine Network of Protected Areas even sees it as the dawn of “a new era in the management of Alpine habitats”. The HABITALP research project united partners from five nations (A, CH, D, F, I), who communicated with each other in four languages.

The aim of the project was the development of standardised methods of recording, analysing and evaluating natural habitats and landscapes, as well as those which have been influenced by human use, by means of CIR (colour infrared) aerial photography. The focus of interest was on the protected areas in the Alps. This was to enable an approach adapted to the Alpine region in respect of long-term observation and the management of protected areas.

E.C.O. had the opportunity of analysing and evaluating the various HABITALP subprojects. Hanns Kirchmeir, the member of E.C.O. responsible for this project, presented the results of the evaluation during the final conference in Berchtesgaden. He issued HABITALP with a good report: “The implementation of the HABITALP project can be judged a success. It represents a milestone in the development of joint working methods and displays great potential for future use.”

A flyer in English and a 24-page brochure “Alpine Habitat Diversity”, available in three versions in four languages, were also presented at the conference. The booklets and the flyer were produced under the auspices of E.C.O. and have been received with great interest by the general public.