Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg ZENARiO –Center for Sustainable Spatial Development Applied Geography and Environmental Planning Research Group Prof. Dr. Ingo Mose Jean Monnet Chair “Europeanization and Sustainable Spatial Development” in cooperation with Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK) – Institute for Advanced Study, Delmenhorst Conceptual frame for an international workshop: “Parks of the Future – Protected Areas in Europe Challenging Issues of Societal Transformation” 26 – 27 February, 2014 Protected areas across Europe, especially large protected areas such as National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, or Nature Parks, are increasingly addressing a multitude of different aims and tasks. Further than “only” the protection of valuable ecosystems and endangered species protected areas find themselves involved with activities such as agriculture, forestry, tourism, or environmental education. As a result many protected areas today are regarded as multifunctional landscapes which have been interpreted as an obvious change of paradigm in area protection. Against the background of an engaged conceptual discourse, additional aims have been expressed by identifying protected areas as possible test-beds or even models for sustainable development. This applies particularly to Biosphere Reserves since these are regarded as model landscapes for sustainable development by definition. But also other types of protected areas are more and more seen in this perspective. Thus many protected areas have become important actors in addressing major problems and challenges at international and even global scale. According to various scientific studies as well as political declarationsof different provenance the relevance of these challenges cannot be denied at all and adequate action has become more than urgent. Among others, coping with climate change, threats to biodiversity, configuration of energy transition, facing demographic change, to name but a few, are important issues in a wider context of transformation processes our societies are facing today. 1 Against this background a selected number of researchers across Germany and several other European countries have been invited by the Applied Geography and Environmental Planning Research Group at Oldenburg University and the Jean Monnet Chair currently held by this group for a workshop at the Hanse Institute of Advanced Study in Delmenhorst, Germany in February 2014.The meeting is meant to address the question whether protected areas in Europe are being affected by the problems mentioned above and if they could possibly make contributions in successfully addressing these and how. Participants will be from various institutional and disciplinary backgrounds and are expected to discuss and reflect upon the questions briefly sketched in ways of creative thinking and engaged debate. The workshop will be structured by groups of themes as listed below and will make use of short thematic inputs by selected participants to stimulate the debate. As soon as the list of participants has been closed, the required input will be negotiated among the researchers involved. In addition, all participants shortly will be asked to provide a brief summary of their expertise and personal interest in the subject which will be distributed among the group before the workshop meeting. To ensure structured and efficient debate the workshop will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Dirk Strijker from Groningen University, Netherlands who has been employed in similar functions on several occasions before. Possible results of the workshop could be agreements upon an anthology of the issues raised during the meeting edited by the organizer (and possibly other participants interested) or a joint attempt to access European funding for further collaboration. The organizer will offer all participants payment for their travel costs (on the basis of the cheapest possible way of access, rail or air) and accommodation for two nights at a local hotel in Delmenhorst Reservations will be made by the Hanse Institute. During the workshop lite lunches and dinner will be provided. For any questions participants are kindly requested to approach the following address: Carlotta.Schulz@uni-oldenburg.de Oldenburg, 17 November 2013 2 Preliminary outline of the programme Tuesday, 25 February 2014 All day Participants arrive in Delmenhorst 19.30 Joint dinner at local hotel in Delmenhorst Wednesday, 26 February 2014 09.00 Arrival of participants at Institute for Advanced Study 09.30 Official opening of workshop Welcome addresses by Prof. Dr. RetoWeiler, Director HWK Prof. Dr. Ingo Mose, Director ZENARiO 10.00 Introduction to workshop and book project Prof. Dr. Ingo Mose 10.30 Short introduction of participants 11.00 Opening lectures A. Parks of the future: Which role can parks play for sustainable development in Germany? Dr. Volker Scherfose, Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Berlin B. Parks of the future: Expectations in a European perspective Carol Ritchie, EUROPARC Following discussion among participants 13.00 Lunch break: Lite meal at HWK 14.00 Start of workshop debate First sample of selected issues: sustainable forms of land-use, configuration of energy transition, sustainable recreation and tourism,facing demographic change Moderator: Prof. Dr. Dirk Strijker, Groningen 3 Short thematic inputs by …. N.N.: Parks and sustainable forms of land-use NN: Parks and configuration of energy transition N.N.: Parks and sustainable recreation and tourism NN: Parks facing demographic change During workshop coffee and tea will be provided 18.00 - Joint dinner at HWK Informal talks among participants Transfer to hotel, Thursday, 27 February 2014 09.00 Workshop debate continues Second sample of selected issues: coping with climate change, threats to biodiversity, safeguarding landscape and open space Moderator: Prof. Dr. Dirk Strijker Short thematic inputs by …. N.N.:Parks coping with climate change N.N.: Parks and threats to biodiversity N.N.: Parks safeguarding landscape and open space During workshop coffee and tea will be provided 13.00 Lunch break: Lite meal at HWK 14.00 Reflection upon general outcome of the workshop among participants 15.00 Summary of workshop, possible agreements regarding book project and other possible joint activities Prof. Dr. Ingo Mose 16.00 End of workshop Participants depart 4