Creation of regional and transfrontier natural parks

Recommendation 587 (1970)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 26January 1970 (20th Sitting) (seeDoc.2708, report of the Committee on Regional Planning and LocalAuthorities). Text adopted by the Assemblyon 26 January 1970 (20th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Noting that Europe'sdemographic development, its increasing urbanisation and its creepingindustrialisation today threaten the very conditions necessary for a decentlife for people and demand concerted defence reactions on the part of Europeanson a scale equal to the dangers with which they are faced ;

2. Recalling that the creation of regional natural parks meets the doubleneed to conserve countryside of particular value and to provide the inhabitantsof large conurbations with natural recreation areas, to which the sameimportance should be given in regional plans as is given to the principalinfrastructure equipment of such areas;

3. Considering that theestablishment of natural parks in certain regions of mountain, marsh and heath,which do not lend themselves to agriculture, can assist the revival of suchregions by involving the rural populations in the creation and life of theparks ;

4. Considering also that in many instances areas worthy ofspecial protection and suited by their geographical position for recreationaluse are crossed by national frontiers and, consequently, raise the problem ofthe transfrontier organisation of regional parks ;

5. Believingfurther that increasing the number of such transfrontier regional parks wouldcontribute towards strengthening the spirit of co-operation and solidarityamong the peoples of Europe ;

6. Noting, however, that nationallegislations relating to regional natural parks still vary widely, and oftenprovide neither a satisfactory basis for the creation of regional parks nor theconditions necessary for the creation of transfrontier parks ;

7. Wishing to promote the improvement of man's natural environment as wellas the protection of the European countryside ;

8. Wishing also tomake a contribution towards European Conservation Year,

9. Recommendsthe Committee of Ministers :

a to ask theEuropean Committee for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources :

to examine any suitable measures to promotethe creation of regional and transfrontier parks in member countries, inaccordance with the Assembly's wish expressed in Recommendation 284 of 1961;

to undertake, as soon as possible, a study of nationallegislations in this sphere ;

to make arrangements for thesystematic exchange of information relating to national and regional naturalparks, notably through the European Information Centre for Nature Conservationand its periodic information bulletin ;

b to obtain the opinions of other committees involved, notably that ofthe Committee on Co-operation in Municipal and Regional Matters as regards theadministrative status of regional parks, and that of the Committee of SeniorOfficials concerned with preparing the European Conference of Ministersresponsible for Regional Planning as regards their creation within the contextof European regional planning ;

c to invite the EuropeanNature Conservation Conference to give particular attention to the problem ofnatural parks and to make suggestions for future action by the Council ofEurope.