European Charter for Sustainable Tourism

The Network of Bondone Nature Reserves is close to reaching one of its biggest goals:  alongside with other Networks of Nature Reserves in the Trentino region, it has applied to obtain the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas (ECST). This certificate is really important for its international value and it is a huge recognition for the Network and for the local administrations that took part in it. Its aim is to promote and implement policies for sustainable tourism within the region. 

ECST can only be obtained after a careful elaboration of an Action Plan that involves territorial operators in order to plan and implement concrete initiatives for the development of a tourism with little impact on the environment. The collaboration with companies, hoteliers and associations and their ability to coordinate was essential for achieving this goal. More than fifty subjects have taken part at the information evening organised by the Network, some of them were representatives of the five municipalities (Trento, Vallelaghi, Garniga Terme, Cimone and Villa Lagarina) and of the valley communities, together with the President of the Network and his Coordinator. 

It is hard to define and implement sustainable tourism due to its broad meaning, that has been clarified and realised by the Action Plan, result of plenary meetings. It promotes touristic activities with low environmental impact and raises the tourist and citizen's awareness on the natural beauties that the territory offers engaging them in supporting the environmental conservation. 

The planned actions aim at promoting the territory with the improvement of paths' accessibility, the use of renewable energy sources and the promotion of recycling. Everything will be realised raising citizens' awareness through informative actions and school activities that will promote touristic, agricultural and cultural activities where mainly local young people work. 

Three meetings and desk office days were offered for those interested in clarifications and further support. During these meetings have been presented the benefits that ECST could bring to the local tourism in the connection between nature and tourism. It aims at creating a strategy to promote protected areas through the engagement and dialogue with interested stakeholders, always maintaining a responsible use of local resources through the designing of projects and economically, environmentally and socially sustainable actions. 

Around 35 suggestions were made by local participants filling in the  form (that can still be used to make new suggestions) in order to promote sustainable tourism in the Monte Bondone area. Many of those have been developed and realised as single actions, some others have been inserted in collective actions with the possibility to collaborate with other operators. 

For further information visit the website of the Europarc Federation. 
To join the project please contact us.

 ECST path ITA (664Kb)
 Form (66Kb)