Portrait

The Forum Landscape, Alps, Parks is a platform in the field of research into landscape, the Alps and protected areas. It works to increase knowledge about landscapes and processes that change them, and implements research results effectively. The complexity of the issues involved means a variety of methods, approaches and experience are required, as well as multi-lateral collaboration between the disciplines of natural, social and economic sciences.

Our goals
• To promote inter and trans-disciplinary exchange on landscape issues
• To intensify and coordinate landscape, alpine and park research at national and international levels
• To encourage dialogue on landscape issues between the academic, practical, political and social disciplines

We base what we do on the European Landscape Convention and the Alpine Convention, and we interpret the term landscape as holistic and relating to all areas. It includes mountain regions and the areas surrounding them as well as urban, suburban and rural regions and the interactions between these spaces.

Protecting our landscape is essential in order to maintain Switzerland’s diverse natural and cultural heritage. It plays a significant role in determining the quality of the environment we live in. One focus of our work is using parks and protected areas as a means of maintaining and improving the quality of landscapes in the relevant regions.

Inter and trans-disciplinary dialogue

We analyse current developments and encourage inter and trans-disciplinary dialogue – for example by organising and running conferences and workshops. To carry out our work we collaborate closely with experts in landscape, alpine and park research who are active in Switzerland.

We represent the Swiss Academy of Sciences on the International Scientific Committee on Alpine Research (ISCAR) and also manage the administration office of the organisation.

Forum Landscape, Alps, Parks: Our 5 core themes

Unsere Aktivitäten

Das FoLAP macht Veranstaltungen, Publikationen, Stellungnahmen, verschiedene Aktivitäten in unseren Kernthemen sowie sonstige Netzwerkaktivitäten.

Unsere 5 Kernthemen

Das Forum Landschaft, Alpen, Pärke (FoLAP) setzt die in der Strategie formulierten Ziele mittels Kernthemen um. Diese sind eine Standortsbestimmung und zeigen auf, wo das FoLAP in den nächsten Jahren aktiv werden muss, um zusammen mit der Praxis Fachwissen zu den anstehenden globalen und nationalen Landschaftsthemen zu erarbeiten und zu erschliessen. Dazu gehört sowohl politisches als auch wissenschaftliches Agenda Setting.
Unsere 5 Kernthemen