• Managing Wilderness
• Species
• Human Activities
• Tourism

Managing Wilderness

Rewilding

Photo: Hannu HautalaIn Majella NP, Italy or Retezat NP, Romania, abandoned grazing on alpine meadows provides an exceptional example of spontaneous natural restoration of the tree-line. The value of this experience is multiplied by the opportunity to observe areas where rewilding has already taken place and other areas in the vicinity that are still managed by traditional grazing.
Openings in forests of Central Balkan NP, Bulgaria or Oulanka NP, Finland caused by windfall or insects outbreaks provide an excellent laboratory to study the dynamic of natural restoration of beech and conifer boreal forests; respectively. Sophisticated soft infrastructure for example nature trails or interpretive panels which create new attractive products for visitors.

Unacceptable activites

In Oulanka NP, Finland to decrease the intensity of reindeer husbandry a written agreement between PAN Parks Foundation and Oulanka NP includes a commitment to reduce reindeer grazing in the coming years, which is pressuring the ecosystem in Oulanka PAN Parks Wilderness.
In Retezat NP, Romania, Rila NP, Bulgaria or Fulufjället NP, Sweden even sanitary or selecting logging is not allowed in PAN Parks Wilderness and trees uprooted by wind or broken by snow must be left to they own devices.

Non-intervention

Non-intervention management of forest ecosystems is structured into the daily routine, for example in Retezat NP, Romania, Majella NP, Italy, Central Balkan NP, Bulgaria.
Natural events - such as landslides, which are usually considered a disaster - are actively interpreted as a part of ecosystem dynamics in Fulufjället NP, Sweden.
In Peneda-Geres NP, Portugal natural spontaneous re-vegetation (re-growth of forest) after centuries of grazing was stopped; due to natural re-growth being actively promoted and interpreted.

Fragmentation

There are several PAN Parks with completely unfragmented pieces of wilderness, for example Borjomi-Kharagauli, Georgia, Fulufjället NP, Sweden or Paanajärvi NP, Russia.
Other parks meet this PAN Parks criterion with certain level of fragmentation. In Central Balkan NP, Bulgaria PAN Parks Wilderness covers more than 20 000 ha but it consists of 8 individual areas: none of them bigger than 6 000 ha.
In Majella NP, PAN Parks Wilderness covers more than 25 500 ha but 2 small islands of grazing meadows, albeit temporary, are still part of this area.

Species


Wilderness species

Re-introduction of wilderness species is high on the agenda of PAN Parks. Successful projects include: re-introduction of Apennine chamois in Majella NP, Italy, and the re-introduction of Griffon Vultures in Central Balkan NP, Bulgaria.

Iconic species

Photo: iStock/BostjanTImportant wilderness indicative species in the PAN Parks network are the brown bear, wolves and the lynx. These species can be found in Fulufjället NP, Sweden, Rila NP and Central Balkan NP, Bulgaria.
Another important wilderness indicative species is the golden eagle in Retezat NP, Romania or the sea eagle in Archipelago NP, Finland.
Important wilderness indicative species in Oulanka NP, Finland is the orchid - Calypso Bulbosa.

Feral species

In Peneda-Geres NP, Portugal feral horses Equus caballus live in the PAN Parks Wilderness. These horses are not managed at all and represent an exceptional case of wild horses on the Iberian Peninsula and possibly the only wild horses in Europe.
In prospective PAN Park Soomaa NP, Estonia, another good example is the introduction of “konik” with the aim of maintaining the ecological function of mountain and floodplain meadows.

Non-native species

There are examples of eradication projects such as the eradication programme of mink in Archipelago NP, Finland or the removal of non-native species of pine-trees in Majella NP, Italy.

Introduced species

Species diversity is sometimes enhanced by the introduction of species such as the introduction of Alpine marmots after the Second World War in Retezat NP, Romania, and the ongoing re-introduction of Apennine chamois in Majella NP, Italy.

Human Activities

Hunting fishing

Hunting and fishing is not allowed in any wilderness area of any certified PAN Park. Hunting was restricted in the core area of the newly created Fulufjället NP, Sweden, and a fishing free wilderness area was a condition in creating the very first marine PAN Park - Archipelago NP, Finland.

Forestry

Photo: Karin ErikssonForestry, sanitary logging or the removal of dead trees is not allowed in the wilderness area of any certified PAN Park. Sanitary logging is restricted also in the wilderness of Retezat NP, Romania, Oulanka NP, Finland, or Rila NP, Bulgaria.
In Fulufjället NP, Sweden a big landslide swept away a large area of boreal forest and this area is currently being used as an excellent and frequently visited interpretation site, to explain natural dynamics and the power of nature.

Agriculture

Neither the grazing of domestic animals nor mowing pasture is allowed in wilderness area of any certified PAN Park. A grazing free zone was created in Retezat NP, Romania, abandoned grazing opened up an opportunity to create a PAN Parks Wilderness in Peneda Geres NP, Portugal.

Roads

Old gravel roads are in many certified PAN Parks and their use and maintenance is the subject of careful monitoring. Gravel roads in Borjomi Kharagauli NP, Georgia, Rila NP, Bulgaria or Retezat NP, Romania were accepted inside the PAN Parks Wilderness on condition that these roads wouldn’t be used for either public or private transport.
A paved and finished road in Rila NP, Bulgaria (access to reservoir) was the reason why the original PAN Parks Wilderness proposal was redesigned after verifiers recommended that the road was kept out of this area.
A remarkable road restoration project was carried out in Majella NP, Italy. Park administration started digging up the access road to wilderness area and half of the pavement was destroyed and the land then restored, while the remaining half of the road is only available for park staff and handicapped people.

Tourism

Wilderness to experience

By: iStock/Falk KienasNetwork of certified PAN Parks - thousands of hectares of certified wilderness - provide a wide spectrum of opportunities to experience PAN Parks Wilderness.
Networks of carefully planned and well-managed trails in Central Balkan NP, Bulgaria or Retezat NP, Romania provide easy and safe access to many corners of PAN Parks Wilderness.
Guided walks supported by highly experienced local guides in Oulanka NP, Finland or Borjomi Kharagauli NP, Georgia, offer an additional experience of PAN Parks Wilderness.
In Majella NP, Italy from Majelleta Point, accessible by motorised vehicle, visitors can enjoy a superb wilderness panorama of wild landscapes and the Apennine Mountains.
In Fulufjället NP, Sweden an easy one hour hike provides an exclusive experience of virgin conifer boreal forest.
In Peneda Geres NP, Portugal half an hour’s walk brings tourists to the last remnants of native forest in Portugal.
PAN Parks Wilderness can be temporarily/seasonally or permanently closed for visitors because of habitat fragility and or sensitivity. There is currently only one PAN Park – Archipelago NP, Finland with permanent closure. In this case PAN Parks Foundation together with the park management will seek an opportunity how to provide an alternative experience for visitors: a secondary wilderness area will be suggested.

Tourism strategy

Every certified PAN Park has to prove development and implementation of visitor management and a sustainable tourism development strategy. Good examples of sophisticated visitor management and sustainable tourism development strategy can be found in many certified PAN Parks. Oulanka NP, Finland provides an excellent example in this.