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The Alps:a unique natural

heritageA Common Vision for the Conservation

of their Biodiversity

WWF / Hubert Malin

F S C - C e r t i f i c a t e - N o . : S G S - C O C - 1 5 3 7

17,5%Minimum

By the use of FSC certified woodwe support better management of theforests world-wide.At least 50 % of this paper consists ofde-inked (post consumer) waste paperand FSC fresh fiber cellulose. 17.5 %of the fibers used in the productionprocess of this paper come from forests,managed in a sustainable way, inde-pendently certified according to ForestStewardship Council-guidelines

Foreword .................................................................................................................................4

A strategy for Alpine-wide biodiversity conservation.....................................................6

Ecoregion under pressure ...................................................................................................8

Biodiversity of the Alps ......................................................................................................10

Insects: inconspicuous but fundamental ..........................................................................11

Flora: decorative wealth ....................................................................................................12

Birds: at home in the Alps or just passing through ...........................................................14

Mammals: from Alpine mouse to wolf ..............................................................................16

Freshwater: source of life .................................................................................................18

Amphibians and reptiles: secretive lives .......................................................................20

Remote areas: wilderness pure .......................................................................................21

Human influence on biodiversity in the Alps..................................................................22

Conservation priority areas in the Alps...........................................................................26

Outlook: future conservation in the Alps ........................................................................28

Acknowledgments ...............................................................................................................30

Contents

Published by: WWF Germany, Frankfurt am Mainfor the WWF European Alpine Programme, (January 2004).

Author: Frank Mörschel, with contributions from:Serena Arduino, Guido Plassmann, Michel Revaz and Andreas Weissen.Editor: Heike Mühldorfer.Design: Fluxdesign Bremen, Ralf Wittke.Printed by: medialogik, Karlsruhe.

Working group:Serena Arduino, Andreas Baumüller, Doris Calegari, Frank Mörschel,Hermann Sonntag, Christine Sourd, Holger Spiegel, Andreas Weissen (WWF),Andreas Götz, Michel Revaz (CIPRA),Engelbert Ruoss, Thomas Scheurer (ISCAR),Boris Opolka, Guido Plassmann (ALPARC),and Chistoph Plutzar (GIS Work).

Other WWF contributions:N. Gerstl, T. Kaissl, G. Steindlegger, C. Walder (WWF Austria),S. Jen (WWF European Policy Office),C. du Monceau, A.-I. Perrin, E. Pétitet, D. Vallauri (WWF France),F. Bulgarini, B. Franco, G. Guidotti, I. Pratesi (WWF Italy),F. Antonelli, P. Regato, C. Roberts (WWF Mediterranean Programme),C. Elliker (WWF Switzerland),J. Reed, D. Robinson, H. Strand (WWF USA).

Translation: Serena Arduino, Elisabetta Luchetti, Studio Michelangelo (I),Andreja F. Gasperlin and Tina Markun (SL), Frank Mörschel (E+D),Donné N. Beyer (D), Danièle Reuland (F).

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Above: Calanda, mountain in the Rhine valley near Chur, Switzerland WWF / Jürgen Deuble

Below: Schreckhorn, Switzerland WWF / Andreas Baumüller

the Alps are the most intensively ex-ploited mountains in the world. And yetthey still represent Europe’s largest poolof biodiversity, inextricably linked to thequality of life of its inhabitants and visi-tors, present and future. WWF, in collabo-ration with ALPARC (Alpine Network ofProtected Areas), CIPRA (InternationalCommission for the Protection of theAlps), and ISCAR (International Scienti-fic Committee on Research in the Alps)launched an initiative to determine the Al-pine regions which need to be given prio-rity for conservation based on biodiversityvalues. These regions were identified inthe course of a two-year process, culmina-ting in two international workshops withscientists, representatives from NGOs,and institutions. The first workshop washeld in May 2002 in Gap, France and thesecond in September 2002 in Alpbach,Austria. The results of this process, whichare published in this booklet, contributeto a better understanding of biodiversityin the Alps and provide a guide to the are-as in which priority conservation actionsshould be undertaken.

The biodiversity initiative of our four or-ganisations makes an important contribu-tion to the Alpine Convention, a treatyamong the Alpine states and the EuropeanUnion which commits members to pursuea policy of sustainable development in

this transnational mountain area. This in-ternational public law treaty makes theAlpine area a model for other regions inEurope and across the world. Our jointbiodiversity initiative presents for the firsttime a map of regions in the Alps withhigh biodiversity value, integrating a di-verse set of plants, animals, and habitats.It therefore shows where we have to actfirst, supplementing the Alpine Conventi-on and its protocols which define whichmeasures should be applied and how. Inthis way we can integrate biodiversity as-pects more closely into planning decisionsat local, regional, national, and internatio-nal levels.

The Alpine Network of Protected Areas isone significant outcome of the AlpineConvention. It is an important instrumentfor biodiversity conservation. However,while protected areas managers are nowbuilding a tight network allowing the ex-change of information and experiences,the protected areas themselves are stillisolated from each other. They are notadequately connected by ecological corri-dors, and as islands, are not sufficient toprotect our natural heritage. Therefore, weneed to emphasise effective and sustaina-ble management practices outside protec-ted areas, especially in the regions withhigh biodiversity values. The Alpine Con-vention and especially its protocols “natu-

re protection and landscape conservation”and “regional planning and sustainabledevelopment” provide tools for achievingthis goal in the medium term.

Building networks

WWF, ALPARC, CIPRA and ISCAR areworking together to contribute to the pre-servation of biodiversity in the Alps. Webelieve that it is important to concentrateconservation efforts primarily on the iden-tified regions with high biodiversityvalue. We want to ensure that biodiversityaspects are considered in planning deci-sions, that appropriate and efficient mea-sures are taken to implement an ecolo-gical network of protected areas and thatareas outside protected areas are managedin a sustainable way. The four organisa-tions will start to implement projects incooperation with local people, relevantauthorities, and interest groups within thehigh biodiversity value regions. We wouldlike to call upon the conservation commu-nity to follow our example and join usin our effort to protect the natural heritageof the Alps. The Alpine Convention

and Biodiversity

The “Convention on the Protection of the Alps”

(known as the “Alpine Convention”), signed in 1991

and entered into force in 1995, has been the first

multilateral treaty specifically devoted to the orga-

nisation of inter-regional co-operation in a mountain

area and has served as an example for other moun-

tain regions, such as the Carpathians. The Conven-

tion outlines the principles and urgent fields of action

in specific environmental, economic and social

areas¹.

The nine contracting parties (Austria, France, Germa-

ny, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, Switzer-

land and the European Union) highlight the natural

and cultural wealth of the Alps, their importance

for people living there or visiting the area, the need

for the reinforcement of trans-border co-operation

and for reconciliation of economic interests with

ecological requirements. They recognise the fact that

the Alps constitute an essential habitat and last

refuge for many endangered species of plants and

animals and they are aware that the ever-increasing

pressures caused by humans are increasingly threa-

tening the Alpine region and its ecological function.

With the Alpine Convention, the contracting parties

will pursue a comprehensive policy for the preser-

vation and protection of the Alps. In order to achieve

the objectives they will take appropriate measures

in twelve priority areas laid down in so-called pro-

tocols. So far eight thematic protocols have

been formulated, including “Mountain agriculture”,

“Energy”, “Tourism” and “Transport”. Only three

member parties, however, have formally ratified all

eight protocols.

For the conservation of the biodiversity of the Alps,

the two protocols “Nature Protection and Landscape

Management” and “Regional Planning and Sustai-

nable Development” are the most important. They

entered into force in December 2002. The inter-

national treaty could be a powerful instrument if all

contracting parties finally ratify and implement the

protocols.

Dear readers,

¹⁾ The full text of the Alpine Conventionand its Protocols is available on the homepageswww.alpenkonvention.org or www.cipra.org

Dr. Thomas Scheurer

ISCAR, Director

Andreas Götz

CIPRA, Director

Dr. Guido Plassmann

ALPARC, Director

Dr. Claude Martin

WWF, Director General

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Base MapWWF European Alpine Programme

–––– National Boundary

–––– Alpine Convention Boundary

The Alps are a true wonder of nature.People have always found the huge varietyof different habitats fascinating: warm,large valleys, lush foothills, deep moun-tain gorges and ice- and rock deserts inthe summit regions. The Alps are domina-ted by natural and sometimes disastrousdynamic processes: Foehn storms, avalan-ches, rock falls, periodic flooding andharsh winters. These processes are charac-teristic for the Alps and continuouslycreate new living space for plants and ani-mals. They are the driving force for biolo-gical diversity. But they are sometimesalso devastating to the human populationand provide a great challenge for thecoexistence of nature and people. Dyna-mic processes and a large variety of habi-tats are the basis for the enormous varietyof species making the Alps an ecoregi-

on of international recognition. The Alpsbelong to the most important ecoregions²in the world, WWF’s Global 200 – iden-tified to conserve global biodiversity (seebox, p. 7).

The Alps, as well as being the largest na-tural region left in Central Europe, arealso one of the most threatened. The na-ture of the Alps has been heavily alteredand often destroyed by humans.

There has so far been no strategic ap-proach to conserve the biodiversity of theentire Alpine region for present and futuregenerations and there are few initiativeswhich are concerned with biodiversity in

A strategy for Alpine-widebiodiversity conservation

Thinking in ecoregions – a new conservation strategy

In the 1990s WWF identified 238 priority ecoregions in the world through the Global

200 initiative. The Alps are one of them. Priority ecoregions represent the finest ex-

amples of a given major habitat type. If we succeed in protecting the biodiversity of

these 238 ecoregions, we will have protected the largest part of the planet’s bio-

diversity. These ecoregions have subsequently been recognised and adopted also by

multilateral organisations such as the European Environmental Agency and the World

Bank. Other large conservation organisations, such as “The Nature Conservancy”

and “Conservation International” also adopted ecoregion conservation as their

central conservation strategy.

Ecoregion conservation includes some important steps:

\ development of a biodiversity vision,

\ identification of priority conservation areas,

\ development and implementation of an ecoregion action plan.

Key features of ecoregion conservation are: large spatial scale (entire ecoregions),

long-term vision (50 years), integration of biodiversity and socio-economic factors,

scientific base, establishment of partnerships with other actors and involvement

of interest groups.

the Alps as a whole. With its ecoregionalconservation approach, WWF togetherwith ALPARC, CIPRA and ISCAR hasdeveloped a biodiversity vision for theAlps. This vision identifies the areas mostimportant to biodiversity in the Alps, uponwhich conservation activities should con-centrate in the future. A comprehensiveaction plan will identify conservation ac-tivities on an ecoregional as well as on aregional level. Only in this way can weguarantee the long-term conservation ofour natural heritage in the Alps.

The gemstones of the Alps

The priority conservation areas representthe “gemstones” of the overall importantAlps. They are the most important areaswhen considered at an ecoregional level.

Piz Palü, Switzerland WWF / Jürgen Deuble

Italy 17.1%

Austria 14.4 %

Liechtenstein 0.6%

Slovenia 13.3%

Switzerland 8%

France 29.3%

Germany 13.5%

²⁾ An ecoregion is an ecosystem covering relatively largeareas of land or water and containing a geographicallydistinct assemblage of natural communities

That does not mean that the areas outsidethe priority conservation areas are un-important but if we want to be most effec-tive with our limited resources we haveto concentrate our efforts. Human acti-vities in the priority conservation areashave to be especially considerate. We areall responsible for conserving these Alpi-ne “gemstones” – we cannot afford tolose them!

Protected areasrelative to the Alpine regionof each country (only nationalparks, regional parks andnature reserves > 100 ha)

Map 1: The Alps ecoregion within theborders of the Alpine Convention.Austria occupies 28.5% of the Alps,Italy 27.6%, France 21.4%, Switzerland 13.1%,Germany 5.8%, Slovenia 3.5%,Liechtenstein 0.08%, and Monaco 0.001%.

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These are the main reasons for the asto-nishing diversity of life found there.Listing the bare numbers provides only aglimpse of the “Guinness book ofrecords”-like biodiversity found in theheart of Europe (see box, p. 9)

It is no wonder that the Alps have beenselected as a region of global importanceby two global biodiversity assessments.The Global 200 Initiative of WWF re-cognises the Alps as one of the 238 mostimportant ecoregions for conserving amajor proportion of the global biodiversi-ty for future generations (see box, p. 7).The study “Centers of plant diversity” byIUCN and WWF identifies the Alps asone of 234 regions with the highest plantdiversity in the world.

Humans in the Alps

The Alps are also home to about 14million people from 8 countries, repre-senting a multitude of different culturesand languages. The Alps, as defined bythe Alpine Convention, encompass about191,000 km2, leading to a populationdensity of about 68 inhabitants/km2. Butthis figure is misleading because the po-pulation is not evenly distributed acrossthe area. Humans have lived in the Alpssince Neolithic times and have struggledto survive in an often harsh environment.Settlements started to grow in places withthe least “resistance” from nature: onelevated areas in large valleys and lowermountains, slowly spreading along thevalley bottoms and into side valleys. Thesteep and rugged mountains were mostlyunsuitable for permanent human settle-ments but were often used to graze live-stock during the summer months. Long-standing agricultural and livestock gra-zing activities have resulted in a characte-

tant tool for the conservation of biodi-versity and large efforts have been madeby Alpine governments for the establish-ment of different forms of protected areas:national parks, natural and regional parks,nature reserves, biosphere reserves andother complementary forms of nature pro-tection. Nevertheless, protected areas areoften isolated from each other and needto be linked by ecological corridors andspecial management measures outside ofprotected areas.

Ecoregion under pressure

ristic cultural landscape in many parts ofthe Alps which also plays an importantrole in maintaining biodiversity. But withincreasing industrialisation and globalisa-tion, traditional land management prac-tices are no longer economically feasible.As a result, extensive farming is decrea-sing throughout the Alps and intensivefarming in the valleys is increasing – withdevastating effects for biodiversity.

Around 120 million tourists visit the Alpsevery year, demanding the appropriate in-frastructure. Tourism developments affectsome of the last remote areas in the Alps,threatening their own economic basis. Ad-ditionally, road traffic is a major issue notonly due to increasing tourism and recrea-

tional activities but also due to the increa-sing trade between countries around theAlps and increasing commuter travel tolarger cities within the Alps. Other seriousthreats to biodiversity result from the useof water for drinking, watering crops andgenerating hydroelectric power. The Alpsare the most important water reservoir inEurope and are heavily influenced by out-side interests in that respect.

Nature conservation as tradition

Nature conservation has a long historyin the Alps. Many important areas havebeen set aside as protected areas, so thatabout 20 to 25% of the Alps are protectedby law. Protecting areas is a very impor-

Above: Urban sprawl in the valley of Saas, Switzerland WWF / Andreas Weissen

Below: Mountain pastures in Montafon, Austria WWF / Hubert Malin

The Alps – one of the last remainingareas with truly wild places in central Eu-rope – are remote. They are breath-taking.They are beautiful. They are one of thelast strongholds of nature against the everincreasing demands of humankind to oc-cupy, convert, replace, and often destroythe basis of its own origins and future.

Their mountainous character sets the Alpsapart from the surrounding landscapesand separates the Mediterranean regionwith its dry forests from the central Euro-pean deciduous forests. The Alps are alabyrinth of mountain chains and valleys,reaching from sea level up to 4800 m(Mont Blanc) and consisting of a hugevariety of rock-types and micro-climates.

Plant and animal diversity in the Alps

\ ca. 30,000 animal species,of which are:

\ ca. 20,000 invertebrate species (number is only

a rough estimation)

\ ca. 200 breeding bird species

\ ca. 80 mammal species (includes those which

only "touch" the Alps marginally)

\ ca. 80 fish species

\ 21 amphibian species (one of them endemic)

\ 15 reptile species

\ ca. 13,000 plant species,of which are:

\ > 5,000 fungus species

\ ca. 4,500 vascular plant species

(representing 39% of the European flora;

about 400 are endemic.)

\ ca. 2,500 lichen species

\ ca. 800 moss species

\ ca. 300 liverwort species8 9

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InsectsWWF European Alpine Programme

–––– National Boundary

–––– Alpine Convention Boundary

Biodiversity is the “spice of life”. Thisrelatively new term categorises featureswhich make up life on Earth and whichmake life on Earth possible. Biodiversityconsists of all genes (genetic diversity),all species (species diversity), all ecosy-stems (ecosystem diversity) and all pro-cesses which sustain life on Earth. Des-cribing biodiversity is yet another matter.Even though the Alps are probably thebest studied mountain system in theworld, we nevertheless have only a verybasic knowledge about the different com-ponents of their biodiversity. We do noteven know all invertebrate species livingin the Alps, let alone all genes or pro-cesses. This is the reason why most stu-dies talk about biodiversity but limit theirwork to species and ecosystems – ourstudy is no exception in that regard.

Knowledge about species and ecosystemdistribution in the Alps is most often con-fined regionally and by political bounda-ries throughout the Alps. Furthermore,methods of data collection and analysisvary greatly between countries and regi-ons. To overcome this obstacle, the WWFEuropean Alpine Programme started tocollect data on biodiversity and socio-eco-nomic issues available at the same scalefor the entire Alps, and to transfer theminto a Geographic Information System(GIS). Based on this information and theknowledge of biodiversity experts fromall Alpine countries, species and eco-

Invertebrates³ are small and their im-portance is often overlooked by manypeople. On the contrary, they represent themajority of species on Earth and the com-bined weight of all individuals would befar greater than the weight of all vertebra-tes such as elephants, whales and humanstogether. But they are the group of ani-mals we know the least about. This is trueworld-wide and also for the Alps. It isestimated that there are at least 20 timesmore invertebrate species in the Alpsthan vertebrates. From Carinthia we knowthat there are at least 8500 species of

Insects: inconspicuous but fundamental

systems characteristic of the Alps wereselected according to their importancewith regard to biodiversity and the avail-ability of information about them. Theareas most important for each speciesgroup (the taxa: flora, insects, reptiles &amphibians, birds, and mammals) and forfreshwater ecosystems were drawn byexperts on a large scale map of the Alps(maps 2-7).

Mountain meadow in the valley of Bschlaber, Austria WWF / Andreas Baumüller

Biodiversityof the Alps

³⁾ All animals that do not have a spine, e.g. insects,worms, spiders, crustaceans, snails

⁴⁾ All animals that have a spine, e.g. mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds

Map 2: Areas most importantfor conserving insects in the Alps basedon the criteria described in the text.

invertebrates⁴. About 33% of these spe-cies are threatened, mainly due to habitatloss and destruction.

This study has had to concentrate main-ly on butterflies and beetles because theyare the only groups of insects with somedistributional data consistent throughoutthe Alps. Areas were selected where manyendemic butterflies and beetles can befound as well as areas with a high concen-tration of butterflies and other insectspecies.

Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) WWF / Anton Vorauer

Rosalia alpinaDietmar Nill

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FloraWWF European Alpine Programme

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Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum),Alpenrose (Rhododendron ferrugineumand R. hirsutum) and Gentian (Gentianaacaulis) are probably the best knownAlpine plants. But they are only four ofabout 4500 species of vascular plantsfound in the Alps (39% of the Europeanflora), of which about one-sixth arerestricted to high altitudes. Additionally,there are about 900 plant communitytypes – characteristic combinations ofplant species covering large areas. Thisenormous diversity made it very difficultto select a number of plant species andvegetation types to focus on in this study.Nevertheless, there are some extraordi-nary groups of plants and vegetation typesthat stand out and are typical for the Alps.These were used in this study:

Centers of endemic species: From the4500 plant species in the Alps, 350 spe-cies (8%) only occur in the Alps or partof the Alps and nowhere else in the world.These endemic plants in particular arefound at higher altitudes where harsh con-ditions limit plant growth as well as inareas which were mostly ice-free duringthe Pleistocene glaciation. The outer ran-ges of the Alpine arc especially served asrefuge for many of these plant species.Here, the largest number of species withvery restricted distribution can be found,such as certain saxifrage species (Saxi-fraga diapensioides, S. tombeanensis,S. burseriana), Zois’ Bellflower (Campa-nula zoysii) or Carniolan Lily (Lilium car-niolicum).

Centers of rare species: In some regionsof the Alps many very rare species arefound, e.g. in the Bergamo region or in theEngadine. These regions have a high va-lue from the perspective of plant diversity.

Large, contiguous forest areas: Withoutthe influence of people, most of the vege-tation below the timberline in the Alpswould consist of deciduous mixed forestsin the valleys and coniferous forests athigher altitudes. In many of these moun-tain forests exploitation was restrictedor even banned for centuries because theyprotect settlements in the valleys from na-tural hazards such as snow avalanches orrock fall. Many of these forests are con-sidered relatively natural today and serveas important refuges for rare species aswell as corridor areas for many others(e.g., capercaillies, large herbivores, largecarnivores).

Distinct dry areas with drought-tole-rant vegetation: The climate in the Alpsvaries remarkably from the outer rangeswith Atlantic climate to the valleys of thecentral ranges with continental-like clima-te. These dry valleys in the central rangeharbour specific plants such as severalgrass species from the genus Stipa or spe-cies of the Pea family such as Milk vet-ches (Astragalus sp., Oxytropis sp.), andspecial grassland communities with Stipaor with Fescue (e.g. Festuca valesiaca).

Flora: decorative wealth

Map 3: Areas most important forconserving flora in the Alps based onthe criteria described in the text.

Gentian (Gentiana acaulis)Michael Hesse / Univ. Vienna

Carniolan Lily (Lilium carniolicum) Michael Hesse / Univ. Vienna

Habitats harbouring particular ecolo-gical phenomena (selected habitatswith special ecological relevance): Thereare some special habitat types that arecharacteristic to the Alps and harbour spe-cific ecological phenomena and proces-ses, such as peat bogs or glacier fore-lands. The value of these habitats lies intheir ecological integrity.

From top:Berardie (Berardia subacaulis) WWF / Andreas Weissen

Zois’ Bellflower (Campanula zoysii) WWF / Andreas Weissen

Kerner’s Alpine Poppy (Papaver kerneri) Michael Hesse / Univ. Vienna

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BirdsWWF European Alpine Programme

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There are about 200 species of birds bree-ding in the Alps with about 200 additionalspecies which migrate through this region.No birds are endemic to the Alps. Birdsof prey, such as the golden eagle (Aquilachrysaetos), the peregrine falcon (Falcoperegrinus), and the bearded vulture (Gy-paetus barbatus) have suffered severelyfrom human persecution. Today, the popu-lation of golden eagle has recovered dueto international conservation efforts. Thebearded vulture – extinct in the Alps atthe beginning of the 20th century – hasbeen successfully reintroduced in whatis probably the most ambitious restora-tion project for an extinct species in Eu-rope. Peregrine falcons also show anencouraging increase in numbers. Never-theless, habitat destruction is a problemespecially for migrating birds and water-fowl. The following criteria were con-sidered in this study:

Important Bird Areas (IBA): Areas whichare important for birds around the worldhave been identified by BirdLife Inter-

national with the participation of manyspecialists and are called “Important BirdAreas” (IBA). A site is recognised as anIBA only if it meets specific criteria: iteither has significant numbers of one ormore globally threatened species, or ispart of a number of sites that together har-bour species that are restricted in range orbiome, or shelters exceptionally largenumbers of migratory or gregarious spe-cies. Most often, IBAs are important formany species at the same time, makingthem the obvious choice for a prioritysetting for birds.

Areas of high value for typical Alpinebirds: Most birds live at lower altitudesand only about 50 species can be foundbreeding above 2000 m. Far fewer than50 species can be considered as truly alpi-ne birds (meaning that they live predo-minantly in the alpine environment abovethe tree-line) and these include the rockpartridge (Alectoris graeca), and dotterel(Charadrius morinellus). Other remarka-ble species are restricted to a particular

Birds: at home in the Alpsor just passing through

Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus) A. Jordi

Grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus) Manfred Delpho

Map 4: Areas most important forconserving birds in the Alps based on thecriteria described in the text.

Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)SVS, Zürich / Tero niemi

Hoopoe (Upupa epops) SVS / Zürich

habitat, e.g. to the montane forests, suchas capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus),and citril finch (Serinus citrinella), or livealong the Alpine rivers such as commonsandpiper (Actitis hypoleucus). Speciesthat are generally rare, and of scattereddistribution within the Alps are the rockpartridge, and rock thrush (Monticolasaxatilis). These bird species (and someothers) deserve special attention at theAlpine scale. Additional areas were selec-ted for these species if the experts belie-ved the IBAs did not adequately repre-sent them.

Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca) SVS, Zürich

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MammalsWWF European Alpine Programme

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Thinking about wildlife in the Alps, mostpeople automatically think about largemammals such as brown bears, ibex orred deer. Besides these very conspicuousand attractive mammals there are manymore which are hardly noted due to theirsmall size and secretive life style. About80 mammal species live in the Alps andthe majority are shrews, mice, voles orbats. A few mammals are endemic to theAlps: the Bavarian vole (Microtus bavari-cus), the Alpine mouse (Apodemus alpi-cola) and the chamois of the Chartreusemountains (Rupicapra rupicapra cartu-siana). In this study, special attention wasgiven to the following groups:

Large carnivores: The return of thewolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx) andbrown bear (Ursus arctos) is one of theremarkable success stories for nature con-servation in the Alps, even though thereare still many prejudices against these ani-mals to be rectified. Nevertheless, theyalways were and still are an integral partof nature in the Alps. Looking at westernand central Europe, the Alps are an im-portant foothold for large carnivores andwill play a major role in guaranteeingtheir future survival and dispersal to other

regions. Areas where large carnivores cur-rently live and reproduce and areas wherethere is a high potential for them in thefuture were selected by experts for thisstudy.

Large herbivores: The Alpine ibex wasonce on the brink of extinction, mainlydue to hunting pressure. After its protec-tion in the 19th century and its subsequentre-introduction the population recoveredand is currently considered secure. TheAlpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)as well as the red deer (Cervus elaphus)are two other characteristic herbivore spe-cies in the Alps. The Chamois is well-established and widespread. The red deerrepresents an important management is-sue in the Alps. Their traditional migrati-on between winter and summer habitatshas mostly been cut off by human activi-ties (intensive use of valleys, roads, etc.),

Mammals: from Alpine mouse to wolf

Brown bear (Ursus arctos) WWF-Canon / Kevin SCHAFER

Map 5: Areas most important forconserving mammals in the Alps based onthe criteria described in the text.

and their natural winter feeding habitathas become critical. Forced into sub-opti-mal habitat and due to bad management,red deer can damage forests and decreasethe capacity of forests to protect humansagainst avalanches and mud-slides. Areaswhere all three species are found togetherand areas with optimal habitat for theseungulate species were mainly selected forthis study.

Small and medium mammals: Besidesthe above mentioned endemic Alpinemouse and Bavarian vole, special attenti-on was given to bats. The northern bat(Eptesicus nilssonii) is a typical bat spe-cies in the Alps (even if also found throu-ghout northern Europe). The horseshoebats (Rhinolophus euryale, R. ferrumequi-num, R. hipposideros) depend on cavesfor roosting and are very vulnerable todisturbance. They mostly populate valleysup to 1000 m. Last but not least, the otter(Lutra lutra) indicates good quality habi-tat and has a very localised distributionin the Alps. Areas important for these spe-cies were selected for this study.

Wolf (Canis lupus) WWF / Aldo Fluri

Young lynx (Lynx lynx) Autor unbekanntNorthern bat

(Eptesicus nilssonii)Dietmar Nill

Alpine mouse (Apodemus alpicola)WWF / Aldo Fluri

16 17

0 100 200 km

FreshwaterWWF European Alpine Programme

–––– National Boundary

–––– Alpine Convention Boundary

The Alps are Europe’s most important wa-ter reservoir: even the Rhône, Rhine andPo rivers, with their large basins mostlylocated outside of the Alps, originate inthe Alpine region. There are about 80 fishspecies living in Alpine lakes and rivers,and species richness decreases rapidly wi-th increasing elevation. The types of fishliving in large rivers such as the Danube,Rhine, Rhône, and Po and their Alpinetributaries are very much determined bythe fish fauna of their destination and aretherefore very distinct in this regard. TheDanube fish fauna is related to the BlackSea region, that of the Rhine to the NorthSea where salmon migration was oncespectacular. Those of the Rhône and thePo reflect the fish fauna of the Mediterra-nean Sea. Many of the small lakes in theAlps were naturally almost free of fishand harboured only a few, specialised fishspecies. These two aspects – the conver-gence of fish fauna from distant sea regi-ons in Alpine rivers and a highly speciali-sed fish fauna in small lakes and rivers– make rivers and lakes very unique inthe Alps.

Furthermore, rivers and streams in theAlps naturally transport large amounts of

rock and gravel which periodically de-stroy old and create new habitats. Thismakes natural rivers and streams highlydynamic systems which are very impor-tant for and typical to the Alps. Intactrivers and streams also serve as importantbio-corridors within the Alps as well astowards their surrounding area.

Since medieval times, fishermen havetried to establish fish populations in Alpi-ne lakes and running waters, disturbingthe highly specialised and endemic inver-tebrate fauna and the local populationsof trout (Salmo trutta fario, S. trutta mar-morata). This introduction of exoticspecies into many Alpine water bodies isone of the most disastrous impacts ofhumans on fauna in the Alps. Furthermo-re, many rivers have been dammed for

Freshwater: source of life

Map 6: Areas most important for conservingfreshwater ecosystems in the Alps based on thecriteria described in the text.

hydroelectric power production. Ripari-an areas were cut off from river dynamicsand destroyed, causing large problemsdownstream with flooding during thespring melting season. About 90% of Al-pine rivers have lost their natural state.

This dramatic situation makes the con-servation of the last remaining, naturalrivers even more pressing (e.g., the Taglia-mento river). In this study experts selec-ted the last rivers with intact floodplainsand lower stretches of rivers which arestill in natural or nearly natural condition.

Mountain stream near Kühtai, Austria WWF / Anton Vorauer

One of the last wild rivers in the Alps: the Tagliamento, Italy Arno Mohl

Brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) Stefano Porcellotti

Goosander (Mergus merganser)SVS, Zürich

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0 100 200 km

Amphibians and ReptilesWWF European Alpine Programme

–––– National Boundary

–––– Alpine Convention Boundary

0 100 200 km

Remote AreasWWF European Alpine Programme

–––– National Boundary

–––– Alpine Convention Boundary

Amphibians and reptiles are very specialanimals because there are only a hand-ful of species which require very specificplaces to live. Extreme in that sensefor example is the cave salamander (Spe-leomantes strinatii) which lives – as thename already says – in caves. In total, the-re are 21 species of amphibians and 15species of reptiles living in the Alps. Oneamphibian, a salamander (Salamandralanzai) is endemic and restricted to asmall area in the Coatian Alps. None ofthe species are strictly Alpine, though theAlpine salamander (Salamandra atra) andthe common viper (Vipera berus) prefermontane and low alpine habitats. Mostamphibians are severely threatened by thedestruction of their habitats, change intraditional agriculture, desiccation ofwetlands, and interruption of migrationroutes.

The Alps include some of the last remai-ning remote, wild places in central Euro-pe. Remoteness from human infrastruc-ture becomes an increasingly scarce re-source and as such is worth protecting.But how remote are the Alps really, consi-dering that they are also home to about14 million people and are visited eachyear by another 120 million?

A recent study⁵ on areas in the Alps thatare not affected by any kind of human in-frastructure (roads, railways, cities, indu-strial areas, power lines, pipelines, etc.)found a total of 831 remote areas (averagesize: 32 km2, minimum size: 0.04 km2,maximum size: 1387 km2), of which 69are larger than 100 km2. Most of theseremote areas are found in high, inacces-sible mountain zones.

These remote areas were not consideredin the same way as the other biodiversitymaps in identifying priority areas becausethey do not indicate biodiversity qualityper se. However, this information wasused while defining the rough boundariesaround biodiversity-rich areas indicated

Amphibians and reptiles:secretive lives

Remote areas: wilderness pure

Areas were selected forthis study where amphi-bians and reptiles are eitherendemic or where rare species occur. Ad-ditionally, areas with high density ofdifferent amphibians and reptiles, such asthe lower Ticino or the Rhône valleywere selected, making these areas primecandidates for conservation.

Map 8: Remote areas not affected byany kind of human infrastructure (roads,railways, cities, industrial areas,power lines, pipelines, etc.) in the Alps.

Map 7: Areas most important forconserving amphibians and reptiles inthe Alps based on the criteria describedin the text.

⁵⁾ Kaissl 2002: Mapping the wilderness of the Alps– a GIS-based approach, Univ. Vienna

by the overlay of all the other biodiversitymaps. A remote area was generally in-cluded in the boundary of the priority areaif it was close to a biodiversity centre.

Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) Franco Andreone

Cave salamander (Speleomantes strinatii) Enrico Lana

Alpine salamander (Salamanda atra) WWF / Anton Vorauer

The ”Three Sisters“, Liechtenstein WWF / Jürgen Deuble

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) WWF / Aldo Fluri

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Human influenceon biodiversity in the Alps

From top:Grenoble, France WWF / Jürgen Deuble

Apple plantation in Meran, Italy WILDLIFE / O. Diez

Wood harvest in the forest WWF-Canon / Edward Parker

Above: Deer forage station in the winter, Austria WWF

Right side: Hay harvest in Tyrol, Austria WWF / Andreas Baumüller

Any strategy for biodiversity conservationwhich wants to have at least some likeli-hood of success needs to consider eco-nomic, social and political developmentsin the region of concern. Some issues,such as land use patterns directly affectbiodiversity. The effect of other issues,such as national and international policyand recreational trends of people visitingthe area might be more indirect but notless important.

It is especially difficult to generalise so-cio-economic and political trends in sucha culturally diverse region as the Alps.Some issues are very different in differentregions, such as agriculture and tourismand some affect the Alps as an entity, e.g.traffic and climate change. The follow-ing factors have the most devastating ef-fects on biodiversity in the Alps.

Development & demography– valleys beyond hope

Elevated areas in the main Alpine valleyswere the first places settled by humansbecause they were most easily accessibleand offered the best conditions for hou-sing and agriculture. Settlements grewalong these large valleys and slowlyspread to side valleys. These easily acces-sible valleys of the Rhône, Rhine, Innand Adige have already lost most of theirbiodiversity values. The continuing ex-pansion of cities, towns, villages andhamlets has led to an urbanisation anddegradation of the countryside threateningthe very last natural relicts in the valleybottoms. Highly urbanised valleys withtheir transport infrastructure (highways,etc.) present a major barrier for manyspecies and prevent the establishment ofecological networks.

On the other side, the south-western andsouthern Alps (Drôme, Piedmont, Liguria,Friuli, Slovenian Alps) have experiencedmass migration into cities in easily ac-cessible valleys, leaving large depopulatedareas. With most Alpine communitieslocated below 1000 m there are only a fewcities occurring at higher altitudes. Theseare the constantly-growing tourism cen-tres, such as Chamonix and Davos.

Agriculture – intensive versusextensive

Agriculture is still the most importanttype of land use in the Alps. Intensive ag-riculture is increasingly applied in broadvalleys and on easily accessible moun-tain slopes causing large losses to biodi-versity especially with the massive useof fertilisers. In the inner Alpine dry zo-nes, vegetables, fruits and grapes are cul-tivated intensively. The mostly forestedand more remote mountain slopes are notused for agriculture. In the high moun-tains extensive animal husbandry domi-nates. Traditional, labour-intensive far-ming on alpine pastures is dying out asthe older generation disappears and cannot be replaced by organic farming. Manyalpine pastures are already abandoned,which often leads to a loss of biodiversitybecause species-rich meadows naturallybecome reforested.

Forestry – mountain forestsas the last bastion

Forestry is the second most importanttype of land use in the Alps. However,most forests in valleys, including especial-ly valuable forests in riparian areas, havealready been lost to settlements, infra-structure and river regulation. The remai-ning forest areas are mainly restricted tomountain slopes where they still coverlarge areas. These forests are usedthroughout the Alps, but special care istaken to maintain them as protectionagainst avalanches and rock slides, eventhough natural dynamics are excludedto maintain their protective function. Theyare in a relatively natural state, althougheasily accessible through an intenseforest road network. The few, pristineforests left in the Alps (total about 665 ha)can mostly be found in remote areaswhere it is still too expensive to buildforest roads.

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Traffic jam on the Brenner highway, Austria/Italy Gesellschaft für ökologische Forschung / Oswald BaumeisterMelting Aletsch glacier, Switzerland WWF / Andreas Weissen

From top:Dam in the Maritime Alps, France WWF / Andreas Weissen

”Ski circus“ in front of the Matterhorn, Switzerland WWF / Andreas Weissen

Tourism– unsustainable amusement

A total of 120 million tourists visit theAlps every year and there are morethan 5 million beds for accommodationthroughout the Alps . In the last yearsthere has been a trend towards more “funand recreation”, such as mountain biking,canyoning, snowboarding, paragliding,etc. These recreation types often affectmore remote locations which are also veryvaluable for nature conservation.The ecologically most devastating formof tourism is winter ski tourism. Current-ly there are about 300 ski areas through-out the Alps with a trend towards largerconcentrations (mass tourism). About10,000 transport facilities serve more than3400 km2 of ski area. Many additionalareas are planned. The construction of ski-runs causes irreparable damage to thelandscape. The increasing use of snowcannons causes additional ecological andenvironmental problems due to their useof water, energy and – in some countrieslike Switzerland – chemical and biologi-cal additives.

Water is life

Rivers and streams in the Alps have beenintensively altered and degraded. Onlyabout 10% of all rivers are at least partlyin a natural or near-natural condition.Rivers and streams have been dammed,straightened, and regulated. Riparian are-as as their natural flood regulation havebeen cut off and converted to agriculturalfields or urban areas. The water is usedfor drinking, watering crops, and genera-ting hydroelectric power. All these measu-res have devastating effects for the uniqueand specialised freshwater biodiversity.Additionally, the Alps are the most im-portant water reservoir in Europe and inthat function they are heavily influencedby outside interests. Restoration projectshave been launched in the last decade byregional and national authorities afterdisastrous floods; e.g. the Drau in Austriaand Rhône in Switzerland. These projectswill provide more space for Alpine riversand streams and will better protect thehuman population from flooding.

Transport – the burden of traffic

The mountain range of the Alps presentsa natural barrier especially to transit traf-fic. Nearly 150 million people cross theAlps every year, 83% by road and only17% by rail. Of these, transit traffic bycars covers 70 billion km/year, whereastrucks cover 1.3 billion km/year. Withinthe next 20 years transit traffic is expec-ted to increase by 100% for freight andby 50% for passenger transport. Current-ly, only 50% of the capacity for freighttransport by rail in the Alps is used. Ad-ditionally, inner Alpine traffic is increa-sing due to more commuting to largercities as well as recreational activities, andalready causes more traffic than transit.Tourism also causes a high amount oftraffic throughout the Alps, especially toremote areas. Between 1963 and 1993,the number of areas in the Alps larger than1500 km2 not touched by major transportinfrastructure decreased from 31 to 14.

Climate change – the heat is rising

The global warming observed over thelast century has already caused all Alpineglaciers to recede and has led to an up-ward migration of Alpine plants at a rateof 0.5 – 4 m per decade. In the long term,Alpine plants will be displaced to everhigher altitudes by lowland plants untilthey will have nowhere to go at all. Manyof these highly specialised and often en-demic plants will then become extinct.Other expected impacts of climate changeare the expansion of exotic species andthe invasion of pathogens from the southto which the Alps will be no longer a bar-rier. The former can already be seen in theTicino region where evergreen trees (evenpalms) are invading the natural forests.Furthermore, the species composition ofplant communities might change with yetunknown consequences for the wholefood chain depending on these plants.

In addition to increasing temperatures,changes in rainfall and snowfall patternsand more frequent extreme events, suchas floods and avalanches are likely. Highertemperatures also reduce permafrost areasand foster slope processes such as rockfalls and landslides.

ParaglidingWWF / Anton Vorauer

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A

B

D

E

C

F

GH1

H2

I

J

K

L

M N

OPQ

R

S

T

U

V

W

0 100 200 km

Priority areas, protected areasWWF European Alpine Programme

Priority Areas

Reservation Areas

Regional Nature Park

Special Protection

National Park Area

National Park Periphery

0 100 200 km

Priority Conservation Areas in the Alps

A Alpi Marittime – Alpes Maritimes (Italia/France) B Alpi Cozie– Gran Paradiso – Queyras – Massif de Pelvoux – Massif de la Vanoise(Italia/France) C Diois en Drôme (France) D Mont Ventoux enProvence (France) E Vercors (France) F Alpes Vaudoises (Suisse)G Alpi Pennine – vallée du Rhône – Oberwallis (Italia/Suisse/Schweiz) H1 Sottoceneri H2 Sopraceneri nel Ticino (Svizzera)I Alpi Orobie – Grigne (Italia) J Bündner Rheintal (Schweiz)K Alpstein – Churfirsten (Schweiz) L Engadina – Stelvio/Stilfser Joch(Svizra/Italia) M Brenta – Adamello – Baldo – Alto Garda (Italia)N Dolomiti Bellunesi (Italia) O Karwendel – Isar (Österreich)P Lechtal (Österreich) Q Allgäu (Deutschland) R Dolomiti d’Ampezzo(Italia) S Berchtesgaden (Deutschland) T Hohe Tauern (Österreich)U Karnische Alpen/Alpi Carniche – Tagliamento – Julische Alpen/AlpiGiulie/Julijske Alpe – Karawanken/Karavanke (Österreich/Italia/Slovenija) V Koralpe (Österreich) W Oberösterreichische Kalkalpen– Niedere Tauern (Österreich)

Priority Areas

0 100 200 km

Overlap of Biodiversity MapsWWF European Alpine Programme

1

2

3

4

5

6

Priority Areas

Conservationpriority areasin the Alps

Winter landscape in the Regional park Vercors, France WWF / Jürgen Deuble

Map 9: Conservation priority areas in the Alps – these areasrepresent the “gemstones” among the overall valuableAlps on a pan-Alpine level. Conservation actions shouldbe focussed primarily here.

Map 10: Deriving conservation priority areas. The map shows an overlay of allpriority areas for the various taxon groups (maps 2-7). Regions where more than onetaxon area is located appear darker. The darkest areas represent the core areas ofthe conservation priority areas, being most important for many or all taxon groups.

Map 11: Protection of priority areas – Protected areas play a very important rolein conserving biodiversity, even though there are many other possibilities (see above).Protected areas have not been used as a criterion in identifiing priority areas.Nevertheless, 59% of the conservation priority areas are under some type ofprotection, 14% as national parks.

Verdon gorge, France WWF / Andreas Baumüller

Biodiversity conservation is always im-portant for the entire area of a region.Nevertheless, limited resources make itnecessary to prioritise conservation ac-tions. The following map (map 9) shouldbe used as an indication of where con-servation action is most important fromthe perspective of the entire Alps. Theareas outside these priority areas are alsoimportant - for one group of animals oranother, for certain plants and ecosy-stems, or as corridors. But the priorityconservation areas are areas important forthe largest number of animals, plants andecosystems (as far as they are knowntoday). They are the gemstones amongthe overall valuable Alps.

How the map was derived

The map (map 9) has been derived byoverlaying all separate taxon biodiversitymaps described before (see maps 2-7) andidentifying the areas with the greatestoverlap (see map 10). The locations ofremote areas (map 8) have been incorpo-rated into priority areas whenever theywere located close to the areas of greatestoverlay of taxon biodiversity maps. Theresulting conservation priority areas havebeen analysed to see if they adequatelyrepresent all biogeographic regions of theAlps as well as all (potential) vegetationzones. Both analyses showed adequaterepresentation within the conservationpriority areas.

culture, sustainable forestry, developingmarkets for regional products, restorationof destroyed habitats as well as the esta-blishment of new and the improvement ofexisting protected areas. A detailed ana-lysis together with all interested groupsin each priority area should clarify thedetailed actions needed on a regional andlocal scale for the conservation of theseareas. This analysis also has to identifythe detailed boundary of the respectivepriority area. The areas shown on the maponly give a rough idea of the generallocation of priorities. Their boundariesshould not, therefore, be considered finalat a finer scale.

A vision for the future

The vision of WWF and its partners isto conserve the extraordinary biodiversityof the Alps for future generations. Webelieve this is possible. The map presen-ted here (map 9) provides a concretemeans of achieving this end. The intentionis not to create protected areas whereverthere is a priority conservation area. Thereare a multitude of other tools available tonature conservation to conserve the mostimportant aspects of biodiversity withinpriority regions. These tools include mea-sures like the development of respon-sible tourism, ecologically sound agri-

26 27

Looking ahead 30 to 50 years, what willthe Alps look like? Will they still be aplace of exceptional beauty? Will we stillsee ibex, chamois and red deer on an earlymorning walk? Will we be so fortunate asto catch a glimpse of a wolf crossing ourpath and disappearing in the forest or abearded vulture flying majestically overthe valley? Will we still be able to findpeace and solitude in these mountains toreflect upon our busy and hectic everydaylife? Will there still be small villages,mountain farmers and local breeds of do-mestic animals? Is there a sustainablefuture for the Alps?

The clear answer of WWF and its part-ners is: yes! The Alps have a sustainablefuture if we start to act now. Sustainabilityis not a theoretical concept known onlyin academic circles or to environmentalnon-governmental groups (NGOs). Sus-tainability is the only way in which hu-mankind – our children, grand- and greatgrandchildren – can survive in the long-

term. It therefore requires the involve-ment and action of all groups of societyacross political and cultural boundaries.Sustainability is the recognition that notonly are economic and social conside-rations important but we also need to ba-lance these issues with ecological neces-sities.

As a first step, this initiative aims to de-fine these ecological necessities geogra-phically by outlining areas of high biodi-versity value throughout the Alps. How-ever, it is important to reiterate that theareas outside these priority areas are alsovery important. We have to consider bothfor a coherent environmental policy. Wehave to be especially careful in managingdevelopment in priority areas, such asnew infrastructure, housing and industry,tourism centers, etc and at times we willhave to give ecological concerns prece-dence over economic and social concerns.We might have to create new protectedareas, to strengthen and connect existingones, to adopt sustainable forestry in astate forest, to encourage organic agricul-ture, to reduce traffic, to change EU poli-cies, to educate school children and adultsas to the advantages of certain practices,to generate benefits for local communi-ties, etc. There are many different toolsavailable to achieve sustainability. Insome areas all tools need to be employed,in other areas only a few.

This initiative identifies areas of specialconcern for biodiversity. It does not iden-tify concrete actions to be undertakenin specific priority areas. The next stepwill be a thorough analysis of all priorityareas to identify the most pressing issuesfor biodiversity conservation and to de-velop concrete actions. But this is some-thing that WWF and its partners cannotand will not do alone. This next step re-quires the engagement of all interestedgroups and individuals in the relevant are-as: local politicians, land users, tourist as-

sociations, scientists, NGOs, protectedarea managers – to name just a few.

WWF and its partners are convincedthat the maps and information presentedhere will provide a useful framework, in-valuable also to other initiatives whichaim to conserve biodiversity in the Alps,and that the vision described here will beadopted by decision makers on local, re-gional, national and international levels.The biodiversity vision and maps are acontribution to the implementation of theconservation goals of the Alpine Conven-tion, one of the most promising interna-tional agreements for the sustainablefuture of the Alps. We will proceed withconservation actions in selected priorityareas. Let’s do it together!

Outlook: Future Conservationin the Alps

Sheep wool production in Innervillgraten, AustriaGesellschaft für ökologische Forschung / Oswald Baumeister Columbine (Aquilegia einseleana)

WWF / Andreas Weissen

Mountain pastures in Austria Gesellschaft für ökologische Forschung / Oswald Baumeister

Bluethroat (Luscinia suecica)SVS, Zürich

Milking goats in Switzerland Gesellschaft für ökologische Forschung / Oswald Baumeister

28 29

This project was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for

the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and from the

German Federal Environmental Agency.

The sponsors accept no responsibility for the correctness, accuracy

and completeness of this information and for the regard of the right of

third parties. The expressed views do not have to concur with the views

of the sponsors.

Additional funding for this publication was provided by the Italian Ministry

of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Direzione Generale per i Beni Librari

e gli Istituti Culturali.

Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali

Special thanks go to the International Year of the Mountains, the Ville

de Gap, the Conservatoire Botanique National de Gap-Charance, the

Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology of the University of Vienna

and the ForumAlpinum 2002 for having sponsored or helped to organise

two workshops (in Gap/France and Alpbach/Austria), as well as to

Teleatlas for the contribution of GIS data.

WWF and its partners take sole responsibility for any inaccuracies or

errors remaining in this brochure and the results of this project. The

following organisations and / or individuals have contributed to this project

by providing data and information, participating in the consultations

and /or reviewing the maps and text of this brochure. Without the

enthusiastic support of all these individuals and organisations and their

willingness to share their knowledge, information and data, this project

would not have been possible.

Acknowledgments Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje v okviru Ministrstvo za okolje, prostor in energijo,Ljubljana (J. Kristanc);Alpine Network of Protected Areas-ALPARC, Gap & Chambéry (A. Bousquet, E. Brancaz,S. Nunes Veloso, M. Zurbach);Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung, Innsbruck (J. Kostenzer, R. Lentner);Amt für Wald, Natur und Landschaft, Liechtenstein-AWNL, Vaduz (M. Fasel);Associazione Razze Autoctone a Rischio di Estinzione-RARE (R. Fortina);Bayerisches Landesamt für Umweltschutz, München (A. Liegl, S. Kluth, J. Voith);Bayerisches Landesamt für Wasserwirtschaft, München (W. Binder);Bayerisches Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Institut für Fischerei, Starnberg (E. Leuner);BirdLife Deutchland-NABU (H. Hötker);BirdLife International, Wageningen (D. Callaghan, S. P. Nagy);BirdLife Italy-Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli, Parma (C. Celada);BirdLife Liechtenstein;BirdLife Österreich (A. Landmann, A. Ranner);BirdLife Slovenia-Dopps (T. Jancar);BirdLife Switzerland-Schweizer Vogelschutz-SVS, Zürich (W. Müller);Bund Naturschutz in Bayern e.V., München (C. Margraf);Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn (U. Bohn);Bündner Natur-Museum, Chur (T. Briner, J.-P. Müller);Bureau d’Études Biologiques, Aigle (R. Delarze);CEMAGREF, Grenoble (J.-J. Brun);Centre Alpin de Phytogéographie, Fondation J.-M- Aubert, Champex-Lac (J.-P. Theurillat);Centre du Réseau Suisse de Floristique-CRSF, Chambésy (B. Bäumler);Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune, Neuchâtel (Y. Gonseth);Conservatoire Botanique National Alpin, Gap (U. Collombier, J.-P. Dalmas, L. Gerraud, J.-C. Villaret);EAWAG-Eidg. Anstalt für Wasserversorgung, Abwasserreinigung und Gewässerschutz,Dübendorf & Kastanienbaum (T. Gonser, A. Peter);Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne-EPFL, Laboratoire dynamiques (M. Perlik);Econat, Yverdon-les-Bains (G. Berthoud);European Environmental Agency;European Topic Centre, Nature Protection and Biodiversity-ETC/NPB, Paris (D. Evans);Fachhochschule Weihenstephan, University of Applied Sciences,Fachbereich Wald und Forstwirtschaft (J. Ewald);Forum Européen de la Montagne, Gland (L. Soubrier);M. Franzen;Interakademische Kommission Alpenforschung-ICAS, Bern (V. Kaufmann, A. Latif);International Bearded vulture Monitoring (R. Zink);International Commission for the Protection of the Alps-CIPRA International (A. Ullrich);Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Roma (L. Boitani);Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, Ozzano Emilia (E. Dupré, P. Genovesi);Istituto Oikos, Varese (L. Pedrotti);KORA-Koordinierte Forschungsprojekte zur Erhaltung und zum Managementder Raubtiere in der Schweiz,Bern (U. Breitenmoser, F. Zimmermann);Laboratoire d’Ecologie Alpine-LECA, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble (J.-L. Borel, P. Ozenda);Laboratoire d’Ecologie Alpine-LECA, Université de Savoie, Le Bourget du Lac (C. Miaud);Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern e. V.-LBV (M. Jakobus, A. von Lindeiner);Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (W. Pratesi Urquhart);Léavital;Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe-SAVE, St. Gallen (H.-P. Grünenfelder);Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Sezione di Zoologia, Torino (F. Andreone);Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Trento (B. Maiolini);Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle-MNHN, Paris (J. Moret);Nationalpark Berchtesgaden (H. Franz);Nationalpark Hohe Tauern (R. Zink);Nationalpark Kalkalpen (E. Weigand);Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern (K. Grossenbacher);Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Eybens (J. Michallet);Office pour la Protection de l’Insecte et son Environnement-OPIE (P. Dupont);Oikos Inc., Dom_ale (M. Harmel);Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio (L. Pedrotti);PLA project group landscape + conservation, Walpertskirchen (A. Ringler);C. Schütz;Stiftung Landschaftsschutz Schweiz-SL/FP, Bern (C. Neff);Technische Universität München, Wildbiologie und Wildtiermanagement,Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan (W. Schröder, I. Storch);Teleatlas;Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck (P. Hümer);Triglavski Narodni Park (T. Menegalija);UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch, Schüpfheim;United Nations Environment Programme– World Conservation Monitoring Centre-UNEP/WCMC;Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, Dipartimento di BiologiaStrutturale e Funzionale, Varese (A. Martinoli);Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Biologia,Sez. Botanica Sistematica e Geobotanica (C. Andreis);Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”, Dipartimento di BiologiaAnimale e dell’Uomo (L. Boitani);Università degli Studi di Torino, Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale (F. Montacchini);Università degli Studi di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze Zootecniche (R. Fortina);Universität Erlangen (W. Bätzing);Universität Innsbruck, Institut für Geographie (A. Danzl, E. Gärtner);Universität Innsbruck, Institut für Naturkunde und Ökologie (A. Landmann);Universität Innsbruck, Institut für Zoologie und Limnologie (L. Füreder, A. Wille);Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Biologie, Fachgebiet Naturschutz (H. Plachter);Universität München (S. Schmidtlein);Universität Wien, Institut für Botanik (H. Niklfeld);Universität Wien, Institut für Ökologie und Naturschutz (G. Grabherr, H. Pauli);Universität Wien, Zoologisches Institut, Abt. Evolutionsbiologie (B.-A. Gereben-Krenn, H. Krenn);Université de Savoie, Le Bourget du Lac (C. Miaud);Université de Genève, Laboratoire de Biogéographie (J.-P. Theurillat);Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble (J.-L. Borel);Univerza v Ljubljani (A. Brancelj);VAUNA e. V., Oberammergau (K. Elmauer, U. Wotschikowsky);Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien, Forschungsinstitut für Wildtierkunde und Ökologie (F. Reimoser);Ville de Gap (P. Bernard-Reymond, M. Halbout);P. Warbanoff;WSL-Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft,Birmensdorf (P. Duelli, M. Perlik, T. Wohlgemuth);Zoologische Staatssammlung München (R. Kraft);Zukunft Biosphäre GmbH, Bischofswiesen (W. d’Oleire-Oltmanns, R. Eberhardt).

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