More information
Description
The project promoter is dedicated to promoting innovative solutions in the field of environmental protection. The aim of this project is to promote and develop nature tourism as an alternative to mass tourism with regard to the sustainable use of natural resources, especially in protected areas in Slovakia. The promoter of the project aims to address the barriers that hinder the development of nature tourism. In cooperation with the Slovak project partner, the project promoter intends to submit a legal analysis and several legislative proposals for changes in order to build a sustainable legal basis for nature tourism. Together with an experienced project partner from Norway, they will develop case studies, evaluations of different forms of nature tourism, and examples of good practice that could find application in Slovak conditions and would also benefit the partner.
Summary of project results
In Slovakia, application of natural tourism in practice is very problematic and it lacks conceptual and legislative support. Thanks to the project, however, we managed to significantly contribute to the removal of barriers that block its development in the long run. In cooperation with VIA IURIS, we prepared a legal analysis of the current state of thematically related legislation of the relevant ministries (the Nature Protection Act, the Forest Act, the Mountain Rescue Service Act, the Hunting Act and the Travel Act). At the same time, we prepared 3 proposals for specific legislative changes at the national level (Forest Act, Nature Conservation and Mountain Rescue Service). We also analyzed the status of related strategic documents and prepared 2 pilot proposals for natural tourism development strategies (for the Banská Bystrica region and the town of Snina). Our proposals were incorporated within the Tourism Development Strategy of the Muránska Planina National Park and also within the Concept of Natural Tourism Development in the Banská Bystrica Region until 2030. Based on a survey in selected protected areas, we obtained important data. In cooperation with our Norwegian partner, a unique study of examples of good practice from abroad was created. Due to circumstances and societal constraints, we have not yet been able to enforce legislative changes at the national level, as well as proposals for regional policies. We have been involved in the process of approving new nature reserves in the UNESCO World Heritage site and we have contributed to the declaration of the Veľký Bukovec nature reserve. We have also been involved in the EIA process, in petitions or in commenting on the zoning plan. We managed to launch 3 nature tourism platforms, establish 11 new partnerships and involve almost 5,000 people. An international conference was organized by us as a successful communication outcome. Last but not least, we managed to bring the concept of natural tourism to the attention of professional and general public, other organizations began to pay attention to it and thanks to our activity it became part of the Vision and Development Strategy of the Slovak Republic until 2030. objectives and we will continue to pursue them.
Summary of bilateral results
We used his professional capacities in the creation of material entitled Examples of good practice for the development of nature tourism as a tool to support national parks, which was created by analyzing examples of good practice from abroad suitable for application in Slovakia. We managed to create an excellent material full of practical experience and inspiration for national parks, which we presented together with the participation of LT&C representatives at an international conference organized within the ACF project. We have published this good practice guide in both English and Slovak and have provided it not only to participants but also online to the general public. Among other things, this material has become a recommended literature within the online curriculum ECO-TANDEM Training Program at the University of Graz. The implementation of the project brought a new dimension of cooperation with partners in the world in the development of nature tourism to our Norwegian partner, which he has not had before. He also appreciated the opportunity to be in the development of nature tourism in Slovakia, i. in a country where this form of tourism has not worked so far. The project itself as well as the jointly created document were also presented by our partner in its annual report for 2020. Last but not least, our partner helped us a lot in building cooperation abroad and also helped us in organizing the international conference itself. He connected us with great people from abroad and we managed to get more to our conference. Based on a very good cooperation with LT&C within the ACF project, we submitted another new joint project in April 2021 and we continue our cooperation. Thanks to the implementation of the project, we became members of the international association Linking Tourism & Conservation, which opened up new opportunities for international cooperation.