Successful meeting of the Interreg Danube GeoTour Project -  in Austria from 20th – 23rd September 2017

Last week the second get-together of the project partners took place in Austria. The UNESCO Global Geoparks Karawanken-Karavanke and Styrian Eisenwurzen had the chance to welcome the 11 project partners from 8 countries. The subtitle shows the goal and the challenge which the partners are facing: »Valorisation of geo-heritage for sustainable and innovative tourism development of Danube Geoparks« The project is co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA).

The main project result will be joint Danube GeoTour designed to strengthen cooperation between the Geoparks regions and act as an innovative tourism product to accelerate visibility and tourist visits in the geoparks. Sharing experiences, testing pilot Geotourism products and new interpretative approaches should increase local inhabitants' engagement, Geopark management capacities and lower the quality gap between Danube and other EU Geoparks.

During the first day in the Geopark Karawanken-Karavanke in Carinthia the partners had the possibility to learn more about GeoInterpretation during a workshop in the municipality Zell/Sele. A visit to the Geopark Information Centre in Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla took place to explore various best practice examples for GeoInterpretation. In addition, the partners enjoyed three days within the heart of Austria at the UNESCO Global Geopark Styrian Eisenwurzen. In the Hotel Bergkristall Wildalpen the partners found everything they needed for their meeting and workshops. During “Capitalization” our parnters learned more about other Interreg Danube projects especially Danubeparks and ECOKarst (dtp.interreg-danube.eu). The Welcome Dinner at the Spring Water Museum Wildalpen and the field trip within the GeoVillage Gams were a welcoming diversion to see the different GeoSights within the Eisenwurzen.  In conclusion, every partner was satisfied concerning the successful meeting. At the end, we just would add many thanks to the organizers from Karawanken-Karavanke and Styrian Eisenwurzen including all their involved helpers and partners.

More information about the organizers are available within the following links: 

www.eisenwurzen.com

www.geopark-karawanken.at

Group Picture of the second project meeting: Idrija Heritage Centre- Idrija Geopark (SLO), Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate (H), Styrian Eisenwurzen (A), Public institution »Nature Park Papuk« (HR), ARGE Geopark Karavanks (A/SLO), Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation (SLO), Bakony & Balaton Regional Tourism Nonprofit Ltd. (H), Bohemian Paradise Geopark non-profit organization (CZ), University of Bucharest (RO), University of Presov (SL), Public Enterprise National Park Djerdap (SRB). 

Impressions of the Program at the Austrian SCOM Meeting

IRSNC PRESENTED FIRST RESULTS OF WP3 AT THE EUROPEAN GEOPARK CONFERENCE IN AZORES

At the beginning of September Martina Stupar from our project partner The Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation presented our project with the focus on "How to manage recreation activities and preserve geoheritage in geoparks" at the 14th European Geoparks Conference in Azores, Portugal. 

The Objective of WP3 Geopark with(out) limits is to provide a common strategic framework for the future sustainable management of tourism pressures on geoheritage within participating Geoparks of the Danube region. 
The overall responsibility for WP3 lies with the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation in close cooperation with the  UNIPO. Project partners performed an assessment of tourism pressures and a regulatory framework following the unique methodology proposed by the WP3 coordinator. The findings will be drafted in an issue paper that will present a sound basis for a joint partner brainstorming workshop on identifying common challenges and potential common solutions. 
WP involves 3 activities:
3.1. A comparative assessment of tourism pressures on geoheritage. 
3.2. A common strategy on the management of tourism pressures in Geoparks.
3.3. An introduction of localised recommendations.

Presentation of the Interreg Danube GeoTour at the E.P.A. in Austria - July 2017

Oliver Gulas from our Austrian project partner Natur- und Geopark Steirische Eisenwurzen was presenting the Interreg Danube GeoTour at the European Parks Academy at the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt

More information:
http://www.e-c-o.at/epa-en.html

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Project co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF, IPA)

Copyright Photos regarding the whole newsletter: Geopark Styrian Eisenwurzen, e-c-o.at