European Diploma of Protected Areas
The European Diploma of Protected Areas is an accolade established by the Council of Europe in 1965 to recognize regions in Europe that meet specific criteria for scientific, aesthetic, or cultural significance. This diploma is awarded to areas deemed important for the conservation of biological diversity, preservation of landscape diversity, or presence of remarkable natural phenomena. To qualify, these areas must be protected by national laws and managed according to established plans with adequate resources and staffing. By 2024, seventy-four areas across twenty-nine countries have received this honor, including notable sites such as the Karlstejn National Nature Reserve in the Czech Republic and Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany. The diploma emphasizes the importance of ongoing management and preservation; failure to maintain standards can lead to the diploma being revoked, as seen in instances involving sites in France and Spain. This initiative highlights Europe's commitment to environmental excellence and the safeguarding of its natural heritage.
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Subject Terms
European Diploma of Protected Areas
IDENTIFICATION: Award given to selected European regions that satisfy certain scientific, aesthetic, or cultural criteria
The European Diploma of Protected Areas encourages the protection and preservation of selected regions of Europe and recognizes excellence in environmental success.
The Council of Europe established the European Diploma of Protected Areas in 1965. The diploma is awarded based on a number of criteria, including the following: The area must be of importance for the conservation of Europe’s biological diversity (whether because it is home to a large number of species or is the of endangered or threatened species) or for the preservation of the continent’s landscape diversity, or it must be a site of remarkable natural or geographic phenomena (such as spectacular geological sites, noteworthy paleontological sites, or other historical areas).
Areas that are awarded the diploma must be protected by the laws of the countries in which they are found, must be clearly designated and maintained by specific plans, and must have sufficient staff and resources for their protection. Managers of the areas supervise the protected zones to ensure their maintenance and meet regularly together to discuss common concerns. By 2024, the Directorate of Culture of the Council of Europe had awarded the diploma to seventy-four areas in twenty-nine countries, including Austria, Belarus, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
The awarded areas include the Karlstejn National Nature Reserve in the Czech Republic. The reserve is an important site both biologically and historically, not only for the country but also for the continent as a whole. It contains a number of unique species, especially insects and mollusks, some of which are endangered and others of which are at the northern limit of their habitat. The area has been inhabited for some three thousand years and is the site of the famous Karlstejn castle, built in the fourteenth century. Other protected areas are the Fair Isle National Scenic Area in Scotland, an almost treeless island between Shetland and Orkney; the Minsmere Nature Reserve in eastern England; Cretan White Mountains National Park in Greece; and Boschplaat Nature Reserve in the Netherlands.
One of Germany’s awarded protected areas is the notorious Berchtesgaden National Park, where Adolf Hitler had his palatial mountain retreat. The directorate awarded the diploma to this region because of “the exceptional quality of its landscapes, the richness of its flora and fauna and the diversity of its natural sites.”
Another area, the only one shared by two countries, is the Germano-Luxembourg Nature Park, which straddles the Our and Sauer rivers. The area is undisturbed by industrialization and contains many cultural and natural sites of interest. Its landscape of high plateaus and ravines in the north and hills and streams in the south captures the features of the Ardennes and Lorraine areas.
The European Diploma, once awarded, may be withdrawn if the site is not preserved and improved upon. This has happened several times. For example, in 2020, the European Diploma was not renewed to two areas, the Scandola Nature Reserve in France and the Donana National Park in Spain. Both sites were threatened by development.
Bibliography
"European Diploma." Council of Europe, 2024, www.coe.int/en/web/bern-convention/european-diploma-for-protected-areas. Accessed 17 July 2024.
"European Diploma Holding Areas." Council of Europe, 2020, www.coe.int/en/web/bern-convention/european-diploma-areas. Accessed 17 July 2024.
Hunkeler, Pierre. European Diploma for Protected Areas. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe, 2000.
Keulartz, Josef, and Gilbert Leistra, eds. Legitimacy in European Nature Conservation Policy: Case Studies in Multilevel Governance. New York: Springer, 2007.