First joint conference of the Alpine and the Carpathian Conventions on large carnivores management
The transboundary character of wildlife populations like large carnivores requires enhanced international collaboration for successful conservation and management solutions. As large carnivore populations are recovering in Europe, this is even more important to prevent and solve the challenges that arise.
For this purpose, an international conference focusing on large carnivore management took place in Slovenia between 6 – 8 March 2024. Representatives from 13 countries exchanged their experiences and solutions implemented within their countries. The conference was also a unique opportunity for policy experts to establish close cooperation in this field.
The event was organised by Slovenia Forest Service in the scope of the Interreg Central Europe project LECA: Supporting the coexistence and conservation of Carpathian Large Carnivores. Both the Alpine and Carpathian Conventions, with support of the Slovenian Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning and the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic, co-hosted the event.
Why is such cooperation necessary?
The status of large carnivore populations, monitoring methods, spatial characteristics of their habitats, and the degree of interaction with humans and consequent conflicts vary between and within the countries and regions. “To this end, the conference aims to provide an overall picture of the status of large carnivore populations in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains,” explained Martin Duľa, coordinator of project LECA from Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic).
The LECA project goal is to produce guidelines on monitoring, conflict and poaching prevention of brown bear, grey wolf and Eurasian lynx. “This conference is the first event that aims to connect both the Alpine and Carpathian region with a view to share examples of good practice and discuss joint challenges,” added Eliška Rolfová, Chair of Carpathian Convention Working Group on Biodiversity, from the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic.
Although the conservation of wolves, brown bears, and Eurasian lynx is subject to the same legal basis within the European Union, policy practices in conservation management itself differ between countries. Rok Černe, Chair of Large Carnivores, Wild Ungulates and Society Working Group of the Alpine Convention from Slovenia Forest Service explains: “the conference focuses on exchanging experiences and revealing the differences in management practices at regional and national levels.”
This established cooperation will contribute towards better understanding, and better conservation and management of large carnivores and associated societal challenges at the pan-European level.
