Last update: 12/6/2024
Conference venue: Hotel Ramada Resort, Kranjska Gora
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
For those already arriving on Tuesday:
20:30
Screening of the film “V kraljestvu Zlatoroga” (In the Kingdom of Zlatorog)
Change in venue due to unstable weather forecast and foreseen low temperatures: the screening will take place at the “Dvorana Vitranc” (Vitranc sports hall), Kolodvorska ulica 1a, 4280 Kranjska Gora. Seats for our group will be reserved. If you wish to leave jointly from the hotel, we meet at the reception of the Hotel Ramada at 20.15.
Wednesday, 12 June 2024
9:00–17:00: Alpine Biodiversity Conference
Organized by the Slovenian Presidency of the Alpine Convention
The aim of the Alpine Biodiversity Conference is to present the Alpine Convention’s efforts to strengthen biodiversity conservation as a contribution to the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted in 2022. Moreover, the goal is to gather feedback and proposals for forward-looking activities from relevant policymakers, experts, scientists, and representatives of Alpine networks. The Slovenian Presidency of the Alpine Convention will present a draft policy brief which will serve as a basis for an in-depth interactive discussion between participants on the three areas of conservation, connectivity, and nature restoration. The conference will also bring in views from the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Carpathian Convention as a contribution to the implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the three Conventions.
Download the detailed program as PDF here.
19:30: Official Reception
Address by the President of the Permanent Committee of the Alpine Conference, Emil Ferjančič
Address by the Director of Triglav National Park, Tit Poročnik, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Triglav National Park
Address by former ISCAR Managing Director, Thomas Scheurer, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ForumAlpinum
Thursday, 13 June 2024, 9:00–18:30
ISCAR Scientific Conference
8:00
Registration
9:00-10:15
WELCOME, INTRODUCTION AND KEYNOTES
Room: Plenary room
Moderator: Irma Potočnik Slavič
9:00-9:15
Welcome & Introduction
- Janez Nared
ISCAR, president - Alenka Smerkolj
Secretary General, Permanent Secretariat Alpine Convention - Valerie Braun
ISCAR-P, chair of the scientific board of ForumAlpinum 2024
9:15-9:45
Keynote 1: Kurt Hanselmann
The value of science is not just what you find out, but who cares about it
9:45-10:15
Keynote 2: Špela Čonč
Linking bio- and geodiversity: importance of landforms for the ecology and conservation of the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx)
10:15-11:00
COFFEE BREAK
11:00-12:30
INTERACTIVE PARALLEL SESSIONS
Grazing/Alpine pastures
Room: Planica B
Chair: Andrea Omizzolo
- Bacterial and fungal diversity of Alpine pastures
Giulio Galla, Nadine Praeg, Theresa Rzehak, Matthias Scholz, Filippo Colla, Julia Seeber, Paul Illmer, Heidi Christine Hauffe - Climate change effects on agronomic performance and biodiversity in Alpine pastures
Bernd Panassiti, Jörg Ewald, Martina Hofmann, Christina Hartung, Sebastian König & Sebastian Seibold - Vegetation dynamics since 1953 in a part of the Stelvio National Park (Italy)
Katharina Ramskogler, Lèon Lepesant, Erich Tasser
Tourism
Room: Planica A
Chair: Cristina del Biaggio
- PEMS: People experience of mountain soundscapes
Balandino Di Donato, Iain McGregor - Overtourism or inadequate dispersal – applicative testing of a new monitoring method in Bohinj Lake area, Slovenia
Pija Lapajne, Matevž Premelč, Klemen Strmšnik, Aleksandra Krajnc, Matjaž Harmel - The development of ecotourism and biodiversity conservation in the Albanian Alps
Mirela Tase, Manjola Xhaferri
Biodiversity I
Room: Plenary room
Chair: Andrej Arih
- A century of rewilding affects mountain biodiversity at different spatial scales
Sonja Wipf, Ruedi Haller, Stefanie Gubler - AtlasFloraAlpina – a new flora online atlas for the entire Alpine arc
Stefan Eggenberg, Sylvain Abdulhak, Alessio Bertolli, Jörg Ewald, Philippe Juillerat, Adrian Möhl, Brigitte Marazzi, Filippo Prosser, Branko Vreš, Thomas Wilhalm - Eastern Alpine basophilic scots pine and black pine forests in Triglav National Park, Slovenia: distribution, vegetation, and stand characteristics
Matija Klopčič, Andreja Nève Repe, Matjaž Guček, Andrej Rozman, Valerija Babij, Aleš Poljanec - The Long-Term Biodiversity Index (LBI) – A new tool for monitoring and planning the restoration of abandoned mining areas and landfills
Tobias Köstl, Hanns Kirchmeir - Long-term changes in biodiversity of the Julian Alps – a consequence of climate fluctuations or human influence?
Nina Caf, Maja Andrič
12:30-14:00
LUNCH BREAK
14:00-15:30
INTERACTIVE PARALLEL SESSIONS
New technologies
Room: Planica A
Chair: Lea Reusser
- Unlocking nature’s secrets: Digital Twins, eDNA and AI in nature conservation – a glimpse into the BioMONITec Project
Vanessa Berger, Daniel Todd Dalton, Klaus Steinbauer, Jennifer Lisa Insupp, Johanna Marion Schulz, Vid Švara, Michael Jungmeier - Remote sensing for monitoring restoration efforts in Alpine areas
Manuela Hirschmugl, Florian Lippl, Petra Miletich, Corinna Hecke, Larissa Posch, Hanns Kirchmeir - Conceptualizing the management of conservation areas: the launch of IPAM Toolbox 2.0
Michael Jungmeier, Vanessa Berger, Hanns Kirchmeir, Dariia Strelnikova - Digital trails: harnessing outdoor and fitness app data for sustainable tourism management in sensitive ecosystems
Lilia Schmalzl, Isidoro de Bortoli, Karolina Taczanowska - Datafication in outdoor recreation and tourism – emerging potential of Big Data for sustainable management of nature trails in context of bio- and geodiversity
Karolina Taczanowska, Fruzsina Stefan, David Ganhör, Kamil Choromański, Dariusz Gotlib, Mariusz Ciesielski
Biodiversity and culture / Historic changes
Room: Plenary room
Chair: Christian Rohr
- Landscape features as the cornerstones of landscape character, identity and biodiversity
Nadja Penko Seidl, Barbara Kostanjšek, Mojca Golobič - Study Circles to reinforce existing values regarding biodiversity
Daniela Ribeiro, Mateja Šmid Hribar, Patricija Rejec - Dynamics of ecosystem services in response to land use and climate change: a case study in the Italian Alps
Clara Tattoni, Paolo Zatelli, Gianluca Grilli, Marco Ciolli - The Alps: green or colourful? From early-modern to post-modern attitude to meadows
Žiga Zwitter
Water resources & Geodiversity
Room: Planica B
Chair: Leopold Füreder
- Let’s go! Valorization of spring habitats in an inner-Alpine region
Angelika Abderhalden, Stefanie von Fumetti - Long-term research on springs and springbrooks the UNESCO Biosfera Engiadina Val Müstair
Stefanie von Fumetti, Angelika Abderhalden - Warming Alpine streams: differential vulnerabilities of aquatic invertebrates
Georg H. Niedrist, Leopold Füreder - Increasing population trends of non-native fishes in rivers of the Eastern Alps
Georg H. Niedrist, Andreas Hilpold, Petra Kranebitter - Mountain pasturing and quality of water sources in the Kamniško-Savinjske Alps
Natalija Špeh, Anja Bubik - Valuing geodiversity in Alpine environments: selected case studies from Slovenia
Borut Stojilković
15:30-16:30
COFFEE BREAK & POSTER SESSION
Posters
- Second homes and resilient communities in Alpine resorts – A geographical approach to multi-local inhabitant footprints in France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Slovenia
Quentin Benoît Guillaume Drouet - Potential of OpenStreetMap for proactive, digital visitor guidance in ecologically sensitive areas
David Ganhör, Karoline Zsak, Manuel Steinbauer, Arne Schwietering, Fruzsina Stefan , Karolina Taczanowska - Plant communities of mountain pastures in the Berchtesgaden region
Christina Hartung, Bernd Panassiti, Jörg Ewald - ‘I need this water as a driving force’ – Introduction of hydroelectric infrastructure in the villages below the Karawanks, 1904–1908
Sara Šifrar Krajnik - Footprints in the Julian Alps: identifying hiking hotspots
Jasna Sitar
16:30-18:00
INTERACTIVE PARALLEL SESSIONS
Spatial planning
Room: Planica B
Chair: Hubert Job
- Alpine spatial planning perspectives: Green infrastructure, energy and spatial development
Dominik Bertram, Tobias Chilla, Markus Lambracht - A tailored and trans-scalar approach to face the Alpine region challenges
Luisa Pedrazzini - Planning without planning: Do renewable energy projects endanger open spaces in the Alps while undermining spatial planning frameworks?
Marco Pütz, Arthur Schindelegger, Hubert Job, Constantin Meyer - Monitoring tourism flow to high-altitude mountain and protected areas in the Alps: A cartographic and spatio-market planning methodology
Ahmed Shams - Climate change and the Alpine quality of life: Questioning the status quo of spatial planning in the Alps and its functionality to tackle long-term water security
Kerstin Ströbel
Ecosystem services & connectivity
Room: Planica A
Chair: Daniela Ribeiro
- Microplastics contamination in high mountain lakes – the case of Triglav National Park
Matej Kovač, Andrej Kržan, Irena Mrak - Priority ecological connectivity areas for spatial planning interventions – an in-depth analysis of a potential ecological network and of human barriers in the EUSALP area
Peter Laner, Andrea Omizzolo, Filippo Favilli - Can the concept of ecosystem services help in the management of protected areas?
Ilona Rac, Anže Japelj, Suzana Vurunić, Mateja Šmid Hribar - Finding open spaces: a consensus-based mapping for Swiss mountain regions
Matteo Riva, Felix Kienast, Adrienne Grêt-Regamey
Biodiversity II
Room: Plenary room
Chair: Roland Psenner
- Saving Dinaric–SE Alpine Lynx Population as contribution for lynx conservation in the Alps
Rok Černe, Miha Krofel, Urša Fležar, Maja Sever, Tilen Hvala, Matej Bartol, Tomaž Skrbinšek, Miha Marenče, Lado Bradač, Aleš Pičulin, Maruša Prostor - The impact of hybridization on Lepus timidus and L. europaeus gut microbiota in the Italian Alps
Lara Marinangeli, Giulio Galla, Barbara Crestanello, Nadine Praeg, Theresa Rzehak, Francesco Nonnis-Marzano, Julia Seeber, Paul Illmer, Heidi Christine Hauffe - Conservation and sustainable management of the Alpine ibex in the cross-border area of the Julian Alps
Andreja Nève Repe, Andrej Arih, Marco Favalli, Maruša Prostor, Jernej Javornik, Aleš Poljanec - More than meets the eye: unravelling anthropic land use impacts on skin microbiota of an opportunistic amphibian species
Lucia Zanovello, Giulio Galla, Matteo Girard, Stefano Casar, Irene Lo Prest, Paolo Pedrin, Giorgio Bertorelle, Heidi Christine Hauffe
18:00-18:30
REPORT TO THE PLENARY, SHORT REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Room: plenary room
Closure of the conference
Friday, 14 June 2024
Excursions
8:30-13:00 /
8:30-15:00
ForumAlpinum Excursion(s)
The registration form will enable you to choose between two excursions. A shorter one is headed to Radovna River valley, and the other, longer one is headed to the Soča River valley. The places on the bus are limited and a participation fee is required. Each of them combines a bus drive with short walks.
8:30-13:00
Radovna River valley
Itinerary (bus and short walks):
- Zgornja Radovna: visit of the Pocar Homestead
- Short walk to Peričnik waterfall in Vrata valley
- Mojstrana: coffee break; Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana: visit of an Alpine Convention Site museum.
The Pocar Homestead is a museum-style house, which is considered as one of the oldest homesteads in the Triglav National Park. It also includes an information point, an exhibition and an event space. Pocar Homestead is a cultural monument of national importance. In 2006, the Triglav National Park received the Europa Nostra Diploma for the Pocar Homestead (European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage in the category of architectural heritage).
The Slovenian Alpine Museum illustrates the development and the history of Slovene mountaineering, climbing and mountain rescue, interwoven with educational and conservational content. Its rich collection of historical objects and artefacts, diversity of photographic, film, book, and museum archives, and an extensive museum library, provide clear insights into the powerful, lasting impact of mountains and mountaineering on Slovene culture.
No participation fee is required for the excursion to Radovna River valley
8:30-15:00
Soča River valley
Itinerary (bus and short walks):
- Stari Tamar (Old Tamar)- Šupca (vista)-the Source of the Soča River (short walk);
- Trenta: coffee break; visit of the Dom Trenta (Triglav National Park Information Centre); short lunck break;
- Soča River – the Great Gorge (short walk); Predil pass.
Stari Tamar – Šupca: is an area located along the Tamar River, which is a tributary of the Soča River. An area is attractive to visitors due to its historical significance and well-preserved nature. Šupca offers panoramic views of the Soča Valley and the Julian Alps.
The Dom Trenta is the cultural and social center of the sparsely populated village Trenta. It presents the cultural landscape, rich ethnological heritage, nature and past life in Trenta, as well as the peculiarities of the Triglav National Park.
Soča River – Great Gorge: also known as the «Emerald Beauty,» Soča River is renowned for its striking turquoise color, which is the result of the river’s unique limestone bed. It originates in the Trenta valley and flows through the picturesque Julian Alps, carving its way through the stunning landscapes of the Triglav National Park. The Great Gorge is a breathtaking natural wonder of the Soča River with its stunning depth and clear, emerald-green waters and with dramatic and picturesque landscape of surrounding rocks and cliffs.
Participation fee is required for the excursion 2 to Soča River valley: 25 EUR. Please bring the exact amount (25 EUR) in cash. The money will be collected during the bus trip.