Swiss-Italian cooperation in favor of ecological connectivity

During the last Alpine Conference in March 2011 the Alpine Convention officially nominated 8 pilot regions for ecological connectivity in the Alps. One of these regions, the ecoregion Alpe Veglia ed Alpe Devero (Italy), has now been enlarged on both sides of the boarder in the area of the mythic Simplon.
Together the Swiss and Italian partners have started first steps to launch activities in favor of ecological connectivity following the common alpine approach developed by the Ecological Continuum Initiative and the Econnect project. 

 Besides the evaluation of the area carried out according to the criteria developed by the Platform Ecological Network of the Alpine Convention that could be finalized with success at the beginning of the year, an analysis is been realized with the online mapping tool JECAMI that will allow to define the potential of the area concerning ecological connectivity and to develop a list of concrete actions that should be started.

An important international event is planned for May 2012 that will bring together the most important actors of the area and that will also be the occasion to start the activities in synergy with all concerned sectors.

Photo description: Panoramic sight to the Alpe Veglia (village of Aione, 1752 m). In the front, an irrigation canal carved in a larch trunk.