Articles
Co-operation in the mountains of Europe
The Pro Monte final conference to be held in Chambéry/F on 8 and 9 June is entitled "Mountain Massifs and Territorial Co-operation in Europe". The Pro Monte Project launched as part of the EU Interact Initiative assists and networks players from European mountain regions looking for answers to urgent issues relating to environmental policy, regional planning and social matters.
New issue of the Journal of Alpine Research series
The latest issue of the Revue de Géographie Alpine series comprises five specialist articles on a variety of topics. One article examines the causes of flooding and the measures that are necessary to prevent it based on the example of the Isère/F region while another article focuses on sustainable water management in general.
Holidaying without barriers? A new Interreg project focuses on the disabled
Una montagna per tutti (a mountain for everyone) is the name of an Interreg project between Italy and France that was launched only recently and focuses on people with disabilities.
Alpine Protected Areas - from co-operation to ecological network
The Alpine Network of Protected Areas is celebrating its 10th anniversary as part of the international conference on "Alpine Protected Areas: Between History, Development and Challenges".
Why wait? Pull down those unused mountain installations now!
Anyone who comes across unused installations or buildings while out hiking or mountaineering in the Swiss Alps should take part in the Wilderness Olympics 2005 and notify Mountain Wilderness (MW) of their "find".
France ratifies all Alpine Convention protocols
Following the decision taken by the Chamber of Deputies on 10 March, the French Senate approved ratification of the remaining protocols to the Alpine Convention in a unanimous vote with just one abstention on 12 May.
Record investments in French winter sport areas
In 2004 France's winter sport resorts invested 348 million euros - more than ever before - in refurbishment and upgrade measures. In the last ten years, such investments have increased by about 200 percent compared with only 50 percent for ski area turnover. The number of skier days per season is now stagnating at 63 million.
From vegetable plots to supermarkets: land consumption in France
The French association for regional planning and rural development has recently published a white paper on the subject of land consumption as a result of urbanisation, entitled "The End of the Landscape?". More and more arable land is being built up with residential buildings and industrial parks, and land consumption is progressing at an alarming pace.
Mountains in the Mediterranean Region Project presented at the IUCN Congress
Italy's Environment Minister presented the Mountains in the Mediterranean Region Project at the IUCN Congress held in Bangkok from 17 to 25 November.
2004 Award for Sustainable Tourism: Take part now!
The authorities of the département of Haute-Savoie/F is presenting an award for the most sustainable tourist project as part of the 6th Tourism Summit of Chamonix Mont-Blanc.
Conference on "Cities in the Mountains"
The French mountain organisation Montanea is organising an international conference on "Cities in the Mountains" together with the Alpe magazine. It is to be held at the Chambéry Conference Centre on 29 June. Admission is free. The registration deadline is 22 June. The conference will offer simultaneous interpretation in French, German and Italian.
Centre for nanotechnology in the French Alps
The first European network for nanobiotechnology, Nano2life, is being co-ordinated in Grenoble/F since February 2. So after Paris Grenoble is now the second largest research centre in France, with 18,200 people working in 200 laboratories.
Plans for a network of the Alps' large lakes
Together with various partners the French Rhône-Alpes region is planning to submit to the EU Programme Interreg IIIB Alpine Space a project for setting up a network of large natural lakes in the alpine region. The project's main goals are to include environmental protection in harmony with the European Framework Directive on Water and sustainable tourist development of lake landscapes.