Dinalpconnect: environmental protection beyond borders

ita eng bhs
2 February 2022

The Julian Prealps Regional Natural Park and the nearby Triglav National Park have collaborated for years. Among the recent joint projects, Dinalpconnect aims to create ecological continuity between the Dinaric mountains and the Alps

The Julian Prealps Natural Park
The Julian Prealps Regional Natural Park was established in 1996. However, it was only the last act of a journey that lasted over two decades. In fact, talk about a protected area in the Julian Pre-Alps had already started in the 1970s. The park's territory extends to the border with Slovenia and for years the latter has collaborated, across the border, with the Triglav National Park, which covers 880 square kilometres, 4% of the surface of Slovenia. Since 2020 the two parks have collaborated in the cross-border European project Dinalpconnect . In the photo by Claudio Caridi / Shutterstock one of the entrances to the Friulian park
Beeches and black alders
Dinalpconnect focuses on pilot areas straddling various states of the Balkan Peninsula, known for its exceptional and vulnerable biodiversity. It acted as an ice age refuge and played a crucial role in the recolonisation of central and northern Europe by plant and animal species, and still features a gene pool oforigin for tree species such as beech and black alder. Some of the largest ancient and well-preserved forests in Europe are found in the Dinaric Mountains. However, this is threatened by fragmentation and habitat loss due to a range of pressures associated with agriculture and forestry, such as intensification of agriculture or abandonment of agriculture and intensive logging. In the photo by Roberto Romanin/ Shutterstock a beech tree in the Julian Pre-Alps Natural Park
Mount Triglav
Together with the Julian Prealps Natural Park and the Triglav National Park, partners from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, and Greece participate in the Dinalpconnect project. In the photo by Roxana Bashyrova a view of Mount Triglav, in Slovenia
Grouse
In the pilot area located between Italy and Slovenia, some species have been identified on which to focus attention: chamois, ibex and then two species of birds, capercaillie and the Ural owl. In this photo by Luciano Mattighello, courtesy of the Julian Prealps Natural Park, a capercaillie
Ural owl
The presence in Italy of the Ural owl (Strix uralensi) is limited to Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the Tarvisano area and in the Cansiglio forest, in Veneto. A Ural owl in flight can be recognised by its tail, which is longer than that of the owl and bent downwards. In this photo by Marco Favalli - courtesy of the Julian Pre-Alps Natural Park - a specimen of Ural owl
Ibex
"As for the ibex, the strong issue between us and Slovenia is that it cannot be hunted here, but it can be there. For the ibex and the chamois, for example, we started at least sharing the monitoring methods, which are the basis of any management policy", explains Antonio Andrich, director of the Julian Pre-Alps Natural Park. In the photo by Marco di Lenardo - courtesy of the Julian Prealps Natural Park - an ibex on Monte Canin
Bohinj
The Dinalpconnect partners also addressed the issue of economic activities within the pilot areas, assessing potential pro biodiversity businesses for each of them and creating a database. In some parks, like the Julian Pre-Alps but also Triglav, there are already ways of involving economic activities. The Julian Prealps Natural Park, for example, awards the Park Mark to environment friendly businesses in the agricultural, commercial, and tourism sector. In the photo by Missgeane, Lake Bohinj in winter, in the heart of the Triglav park 
Matajur
The Matajur, a 1,641 metres high mountain in the Julian Pre-Alps, not far from Cividale. Photo by Gianfranco Pucher
Dinalpconnect
Director of the Julian Prealps Park Antonio Andrich well describes the meaning of the Dinalpconnect project: "The theme is to understand what physical and managerial barriers and obstacles can threaten or impede free circulation, the movement of animal species from one territory to another. The goal is to begin a dialogue between countries that obviously have different rules, habits, regulations, and management culture". In the photo by Luciano Mattighello, a chamois on the Musi Mountains (courtesy of the Julian Prealps Natural Park)