European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC)

In just three years of existence, the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) has supported 21 conservation projects worldwide, with a total funding given amounting to just over €500,000.

Breathe Foundation and the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) have formed a partnership to invest into reforestation projects and the construction of a Foundation and Administration building in Itacare, Brazil. In conjunction with the Breathe/Respira Brazil event, this association will preserve areas of highly threatened Atlantic Rainforest, while providing expert assistance for local groups to reclaim de-frorested areas

Other projects theEuropean Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) have supported:
2007 PROJECTS

CREA - The Research Centre for Alpine Ecosystems, France (nominated by Petzl Foundation)
The ‘Phenoclim’ project measures changes in the seasonal emergence of various plants, serving as indicators for climate change within the Alpine region. Funding allowed for expansion of the information gathered. The project also plans to foster an environmental education programme covering the Alps and its population.

IPCC (Irish Peatland Conservation Council) - Lullymore West Bog Conservation, Ireland (nom. by Cascade Designs)
The project aimed to conserve the threatened Lullymore West Bog; an important wet land site for biodiversity and breeding ground for the endangered Marsh Fritillary Butterfly.  The project also regenerated a cutaway peatland site to enhance its diversity of habitats and species, and provided education and training for volunteers.

John Muir Trust - Schiehallion Project, Scotland (nominated by Haglöfs)
The John Muir Trust raises money to purchase areas of highly valued habitat and recreational land.   The land is then managed, benefiting the inhabitants, visitors, wildlife and the habitat itself. The mountain of Schiehallion in Scotland counts up to 20,000 ascents each year which caused severe erosion of the footpath to the summit. The footpath was resurfaced using locally quarried stone and volunteers to carry out the work.

proMontBlanc – Thermometre Project,  France, Italy, Switzerland (nominated by Patagonia)
proMontBlanc is an umbrella organisation which aims to protect the Mont Blanc Massif.  The funding has allowed it to increase its environmental and sustainability indicators in the area, using such issues as glacier condition, biodiversity, forests, tourism and traffic. The data was collected in the three countries. Analysis and findings will be published every three years.

Travel for Others Onlus – Environmental Trail in Thame Valley, Nepal (nominated by Ferrino)
This project aims to modify the impact of tourism in the vulnerable Thame Valley, Nepal, by educating visitors. The project built an environmental trail up the valley, involving the local population in the siting and construction work as well as the compilation of information for each stage of the trail, and now educates trekkers using the trail itself.

2008 PROJECTS

Sdružení Krajina - Wet Meadowland Trust, Czech Republic (nominated by Rock Point)
The project bought or rented approximately 12 Hectares (ha) of increasingly rare designated sphagnum wet meadowlands.  This allowed a programme of works to protect and enhance the land, including bridge building, removal of invasive species and hand mowing on a further 75 ha. More than 150 landowners and other stakeholders were involved.

PAN Europe (Pesticide Action Network Europe), UK (nominated by Patagonia)
PAN Europe commissioned a scientific study of pesticide use and aims to publish new report documenting the negative impact of pesticides on European wildlife and the environment. The report will be used to inform EU decision makers on the need to include concrete measures to protect European wildlife and the environment within the new pesticides legislation and to draw media attention to the issue.

Verein für kulturellen Austausch und Entwicklug e.V - Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project (nominated by Mammut Sports Grp)
Kyrgyzstan is becoming an increasingly popular mountain tourism destination. The most commonly climbed peak is Pik Lenin, yet the discarding of rubbish on the mountain is polluting watercourses. The project aims to build a collaborative network to directly tackle this issue, developing ecological and sustainable tourism in the area along with measures to clean, re-habilitate and improve trails, shelters and base camp areas.

World Land Trust - Kites Hill Woodland Project, UK (nominated by Nikwax)
The World Land Trust, an international conservation charity, has a flagship site in the UK, Kites Hill Reserve. The project included enhancing the biodiversity of the site through the creation of a pond; enhancing the educational value of the nature reserve; involving volunteers, community members and schools in a biodiversity monitoring project.

Bodensee Stiftung - Gottmadingen Nature Reserve, Germany (nominated by Messe Friedrichshafen)
This project developed a trail to educate and inform visitors about the important biodiversity of the area. The trail covers 4.2km, framing an area of some 60 ha. It was developed with the local Friends of the Earth Group, local farmers and bee keepers, the Gotttmadingen municipality, forest agencies and the Bodensee Stiftung (Lake Constance Foundation).

Euronatur - Hiking Trail, Jablanica-Shebenik Mountain Ridge, Macedonia/Albania (nominated by Vaude)
An area of Europe that has suffered great hardship and a green belt project are brought together to develop a Trans Boundary Trail on the Jablanica-Shebenik Mountain Range between Macedonia and Albania. The cross border hiking trail project’s intent is to build a sustainable result that really benefits the local area and simultaneously protects the environment.

Ett klick för skogen (One Click for the Forest) – Saving Verle Forest Sweden (nominated by Haglöfs)
Ett klick för skogen was started by two Swedish women who felt passionately that Sweden’s indigenous forest needed better protection. The project successfully saved the Verle old growth forest from logging.  Situated approximately 50 kilometres North East of Gothenburg, the 82 hectare forest has been declared of ecological importance, supporting over 52 species of bird and several endangered plant species.

Bergwald Projekt - Forest Conservation, Allgäu, Germany (nominated by Timberland)
This project enabled volunteers to work on forestry conservation projects. The project planted 6,500 trees, from Mono to Admix stands, cultivated 5 ha of habitat for the rare Wood Grouse, built 1.2km of mountain trails and recreated 1 ha of upland wetland.

2009 PROJECTS

Calla - Association for Conservation of the Environment - Czech Republic (nominated by Rock Point)
Calla has created one of the largest Sand Martin nest sites in Southern Bohemia over the last 10 years through the management of disused sand pits. The project will create and restore five further nest sites and three ponds whilst informing the public in order to increase local support.

CMELAK - New Virgin Forest Project - Czech Republic (nominated by Rock Point)

This project has a 250 year plan, which aims to transform areas of pine monoculture into mixed forest with high biodiversity.  This will be done through the purchase of land, awareness campaigns and planting 10,000 native species saplings.

Naturevolution - Makay Nature Project - Madagascar (nominated by Petzl Foundation)
Due to farming and bush fire practices, it is a matter of urgency to protect the threatened Makay mountain range. The project aims to raise awareness of the biodiversity issues, draw up an inventory of Makay’s biodiversity, educate local people about the preservation of their natural resources, create eco-tourist trails and obtain Protected Area status.

Euronatur - Brown Bear Conservation - Northern Spain (nominated by Vaude)
The project aims to improve the Brown Bear’s food supply, minimise the impact of hunting and poaching, monitor the status and development of the population and organise educational activities.  The population has been stabilised in the western ranges of the Cantabrian Mountains, therefore it is important to improve the situation in the eastern ranges as well.

Surfers against Sewage - Grassroots Campaign Film - UK (nominated by Patagonia)
To produce and distribute an educational film following a well-known, professional surfer, initiating a number of SAS campaigns within communities to protect local surfing areas. The film aims to inspire, educate and mobilise supporters to undertake their own campaigning efforts, linked directly to SAS campaigns, to achieve positive outcomes for their local beach environment.

Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds - Protection of the Red-Footed Falcon (nominated by Patagonia)
This project aims to continue the BSPB’s work for the Red-Footed Falcon which has suffered drastic declines in Bulgaria over the past decade. In 3 regions of Bulgaria, the project will involve construction, installation and monitoring of specially designed nest boxes, and public awareness and media campaigns to change attitudes and behaviour that harms the Red-Footed Falcon.

Deutscher Alpen Verein - Reconstruction of Gamsscharte (nominated by Messe Friedrichshafen)
The Gamsscharte is an important alpine passage in the Eastern Alps, connecting 3 Alpine refuges in the Tirol, Salzburg and Südtirol. Due to a receding glacier, the passage has recently become so dangerous it has been closed. The project will identify the course of the new trail and, involving local volunteers, clearing and securing stones and constructing the new secure path.

Biosphere Expeditions Human-Predator Conflict in Caprivi Delta, Mamili National Park – Namibia (nom. by Haglöfs)
In Mamili National Park there is urgent need to find strategies to resolve conflict between predators and humans, which has led to a significant decline in animal numbers, as well as threatening the lives and livelihoods of local inhabitants. This project involves the fitting of GPS collars to problem animals to enable tracking, alerting communities and relocation if necessary, workshops on animal husbandry and kraal construction (predator-proof cattle holding areas).

European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) joins IUCN

Zug, Switzerland – 09 March 2010 Following a lengthy and detailed application process, the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) is thrilled to announce that it has been admitted into membership of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Founded in 1948, the IUCN brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organisations in a unique world partnership which seeks to safeguard natural resources at local, regional and global levels.

Holger Bismann, President of the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC), and General Manager, Patagonia (Europe) said, “The reason we wanted to become a part of this forward thinking, global organisation was to benefit from the expert advice available to help improve our decision-making as to the most worthwhile types of projects to support. We will also be able to use IUCN resources to help improve awareness within the outdoor industry about the need for conservation and responsible, sustainable behaviour in wild places”.

“The Association is a voice both for and directly to the outdoor industry across Europe. The heart of the industry – both industry players and their customers - is firmly placed in the great outdoors and experiencing nature in all its glory. Without guidance, this can and does lead to misuse and abuse of the environment”, he added. “The Association’s main goal is not only to make a difference by raising funds to put something back into the environment, but also to inform and educate all those who use the outdoors as their playground”.

Tanya Bascombe, General Manager for the Association added, “As we (the Association) are still a very young organization, we have a great deal to learn about conservation and protection of the environment and what types of projects we should be concentrating on to ensure we benefit the environment, habitats and biodiversity the most. By using the services offered by the IUCN, we hope to promote and encourage responsible, sustainable behaviour through outdoor sports as well as providing a mechanism for giving something back to the environment through both financial and practical means”.

The European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) - Working to protect the outdoor environment for future generations.

For more information on the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOAC) and their Projects please check: www.outdoorconservation.eu