Research Symposium SNP+

The symposium is primarily aimed at researchers with an interest in natural and social science issues in protected areas, regional nature parks, biosphere reserves, etc. We look forward to diverse contributions from different perspectives and research directions. Interested members of the public are highly welcome.

It will take place back-to-back with the reopening of the Swiss National Park's visitor center " Wildnis im Zentrum " on June 3, 2023. More

Registration and Contributions by May 7!
Please submit your abstract by May 7 at the following link. Please indicate whether you prefer to present a poster or a talk and in which language. We will consider your wishes as far as possible. We look forward to diverse contributions from different perspectives and research directions.

Expected program
10:15 - 10:30 Registration and coffee with croissants
10:30 - 10:40 Welcoming speech
10:40 - 11:15 Keynote
11:15 - 12:30 Thematic Session 1
12:30 - 14:00 LUNCH BREAK with poster session
14:00 - 15:30 Thematic Session 2
15:30 - 16:00 BREAK
16:00 - 17:30 Thematic Session 3
17:30 - 18:00 Final discussion

Thematic Sessions
We will highlight the following topics:

Thematic Session 1: Monitoring in protected areas
The Swiss National Park looks back on more than 100 years of research and monitoring. However, the park is not alone: human and natural processes have also been studied in its surroundings over the long term for many years. In this session, we will highlight the importance of monitoring in protected areas using examples from different disciplines of the natural and social sciences:

• What monitoring programs are appropriate in different categories of protected areas to address their conservation and management needs?
• What can we learn from past experiences and management challenges for today?
• What best practices are leading the way for the future?

Thematic Session 2: Wilderness and Cultural Landscape
On the one hand, the Swiss National Park represents over 100 years of a scientifically accompanied "wilderness experiment". On the other hand, in the SNP+ perimeter, areas of different intensive human use face each other in a very small space. In this session, we will look at results from research in the tension between wilderness and cultural landscape and discuss what role wilderness areas (should) have in today's context:

• How has the shift away from human use in the Swiss National Park over the last hundred years affected nature, landscape, and people?
• What differences and similarities emerge across protected area boundaries and between differently managed areas?
• What role do wilderness and protected areas play in current policy debates?

Thematic Session 3: Impacts of Climate Change
Mountain areas such as the Alps are particularly affected by the impacts of climate change, e.g., by an accumulation of extreme events such as debris flows, decrease of snow and its impact on hydrology, or the shift of potentially threatening species to higher altitudes. This is also true for the Swiss National Park, its habitats otherwise untouched by humans, and the special landscapes that surround the park. This session will focus on observed climate-related changes in and around the park and how humans have dealt with these changes:

• How have vegetation, wildlife, geomorphological processes, hydrology, etc. changed as a result of climate change?
• What are the implications of these changes for protected areas and its management?
• How are people dealing with such changes, especially in areas with protected processes or any other conservation status?

Language
The language of the symposium is German. Of course, you may also present your contribution in English.

Catering
Lunch: We offer a lunch made of locally and sustainably produced food. Please let us know in your registration if you have any allergies or other intolerances.

Dinner: For the evening, we will organize a dinner at the restaurant Bär und Post, Zernez. The costs are covered by the participants themselves and paid in the restaurant (cost: 35 Fr. plus drinks). Please let us know in the registration form if you will attend the dinner.

Overnight stay
The hotels in Zernez are already relatively well booked on June 2 / 3. Therefore, please reserve your room as early as possible. We have reserved a room contingent until May 7 for the night of June 2 / 3 in the following hotels:

Hotel Crusch Alba
Röven 53, CH-7530 Zernez
Tel: +41 81 856 13 30
www.cruschalba-zernez.ch
info@cruschalba-zernez.ch
Kosten pro Person: 165 Fr. (Nacht alleine in Doppelzimmer); 100 – 110 Fr. (Nacht zu zweit Doppelzimmer)

Hotel Bär und Post
Curtins 108, CH-7530 Zernez
Tel: +41 81 851 55 00
www.baer-post.ch
info@baer-post.ch
Cost per person: 125 Fr. (night in single room); 135-145 Fr. (night alone in double room); 58-105 Fr. (night for two in double room).

Please organize the reservation for the overnight stay yourself. Indicate «Teilnahme am Forschungssymposium SNP+» as the purpose of the overnight stay when making your reservation.

Further hotels in Zernez (without room allotments): Hotel Spöl www.hotel-spoel.ch

Costs
Participation in the symposium is free of charge. Participants cover the costs of the dinner, travel to and from the symposium, and accommodation.

Arrival
Zernez is located in the Engadin and is easily reached by train. The best way to find your connection is on www.sbb.ch. Possible connections from Berne and Zurich:

• From Zurich: Departure 7:38 - Arrival 10:05
• From Bern: Departure 6:31 - Arrival 10:05

Insurance
Insurance is the responsibility of the participants.

Organizers

• Research Commission of the Swiss National Park
• Swiss National Park
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Engiadina Val Müstair
• Biosfera Val Müstair