Catalogue of possible measures to improve ecological connectivity in the Alps

Do you want to help animals and plants move between the various areas of their habitats? On these pages we suggest a wide range of actions and measures which can help to link up habitats in the Alps.

© Christoph Pueschner / Zeitenspiegel
© Christoph Pueschner / Zeitenspiegel

The Introduction explains why the catalogue of measures should be of interest to you, what the catalogue offers and how your experiences can contribute to the information we provide.

Measures to link up habitats are not a ‘luxury‘ of conservationists but are required by a wide range of laws and guidelines. Read more about this in the chapter Legal Basis.

Do you work in tourism, are you a spatial planner or forest owner? In the chapter Actors / Sectors you can read why your commitment to networked habitats is also important.

Preservation of individual trees, greening of transport arteries with native vegetation, no-fly zones over sensitive areas – these are some of the 71 measures found in the info sheets in the Measure Database. A detailed Search Function will help you to find those measures that are best suited to your local situation. The info sheets can be downloaded in pdf format.

How are the measures realized in practice? Examples are given for a number of them. We invite you contribute to the examples by adding your practical experience under the heading ‘Good Practice‘. 

The information on these pages was collected by Yann Kohler and Anne Katrin Heinrichs at the request of the Ecological Continuum Initiative. While all care was taken in collecting the information, no claims are made for its completeness. The information is updated continuously.

The information is offered in English, German, French and Italian. The info sheets are only available in English and German.

The online version was financially supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. Additional financial support was provided by the Mava Foundation for Nature and the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing.

Discover the wide range of potential measures

Promotion of organic farming

Many endangered species of fauna and flora are dependent on agricultural habitats, so in terms of conserving biological diversity, extensivisation of agricultural use should be the aim on ecologically significant areas. More

 

Corridors for small animals

Underpasses for small animals are pipes made from concrete or steel which are incorporated into the road-body crossways or at angles as crossing aids for small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates. More

 

Establishment of resting areas for birds along streams

The structures associated with flowing waters, such as gravel banks, provide important habitats for a number of species which breed on gravel areas. More

Download the entire Measures Catalogue

Cover_MeasureCatalogueF.jpgAll contents of the Measures Catalogue are collected in this report which is being updated regularly.