ValPar.ch

ValPar.CH – The Value of Ecological Infrastructure in Swiss Parks

As a network of natural environments, ecological infrastructure plays a crucial role in ensuring the primary services that ecosystems provide to Swiss society and the economy.

The ValPar.CH research project, organized into five modules, investigates the current state of ecological infrastructure (EI) at both the national level and within four nationally significant parks. It assesses their ecological, social, and economic value. In addition to evaluating the present situation, the project explores how operational ecological infrastructure should be designed to ensure that the desired ecological, social, and economic contributions can be delivered in the future.

An analysis of existing and potential policy tools allows for an assessment of the effectiveness of the ecological infrastructure management policies implemented to date. It also highlights the instruments necessary for establishing functional ecological infrastructure.

Several phases of the project require close collaboration and involvement from various stakeholders in the study regions. Thus, this initiative is not only interdisciplinary but also transdisciplinary in nature. The research findings are compiled into a synthesis accompanied by recommendations aimed at various stakeholders.

This project is jointly conducted by the universities of Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich, and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

Project website : https://valpar.ch/ 

Contact : Iago Otero, project coordinator