SAVE Foundation (Safeguard for Agricultural Varieties in Europe)

Monitoring in the Alps

Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe

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Studies concerning "Agricultural Genetic Resources of the Alps"

A broad diversity of breeds and varieties developed in the Alpine region with its very different landscape segments, and its somehow more difficult production conditions. Thus, they can be regarded as especially undemanding and hardy. They are particularly interesting because they are adapted to high altitude and the respective ground, strong solar radiation and short vegetation periods, differing thus very much from the current breeding lines. Because of that, the acknowledged scientist N.I.Vavilov describes the Alps as "secondary genetic centre". Fortunately, the extrusion process through high-performing breeds has started much later in the Alps, thus increasing the chance for survival for some of the traditional animal breeds and plant varieties.

Still, robust animal and plants are important in the first line in the Alpine region. In order to be prepared for dry or wet, cold or warm years, a broad diversity, especially of cultivated plants, is still of importance today. Not only highest performance rates do count in the mountains, but also a good average yield. In 1992 CIPRA (the International Committee for the Protection of the Alps) asked the foundation Pro Specie Rara to make a study on the "Agricultural Genetic Recources of the Alps". Between the French Maritime Alps and Slovenia about 100 endangered breeds each comprising less than 1.000 animals were identfied. In about 40 % of these cases no conservation efforts were made. It was an essential implication of the study to modify the "snap shot of 1993" into a permanent observation, as the situation of the endangered breeds and varieties is always changing. To be able to recognize negative developments in time, it should be of greatest importance to establish an effective, transboundary monitoring system. This took place from 1995 on by building up the "Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe" in St. Gallen (Switzerland).

In 1999 CIPRA - again financially supported by the Bristol Foundation - assigned the "Monitoring Institute" to update the study and to more intensively work on the situation of plant varieties. As in the different countries not only the numbers of the remaining populations but also the general legal and political conditions had changed, this originally intended update resulted in an overall new edition.

The study from 1993 is now updated for 2000/2001, including a detailed study on the situation of cultivated plants. After the summaries of the updated study have been available as download from the project page of the Monitoring Institute for some time, the printed version has now been published, too. The publication of the Bristol Foundation (178 pages with 98 coloured illustrations) contains the synthesis in 5 languages, and the enclosed CD-ROM contains the full text of the study in English and German. The text is designed as reference book, important contact addresses appear several times. The integrated search function facilitates the search for certain ex-pressions or simply to surf in the text. Websites and e-mail addresses are activated so that either browser or e-mail program may establish the desired link automatically.

Continuous Monitoring of Agricultural Biodiversity in the Alpine Region: The Alpine Delphi 2007

In the above mentioned studies it became apparent that there was an urgent need to create a permanent, simple monitoring infrastructure equipped with an early warning system. However, it is clear that a study on a similar scale to the two previous ones cannot be repeated every two years. The aim of monitoring the Alpine Agrobiodiversity is to monitor the whole agrarian system. Data on stock numbers and cultivated areas is important but it is not the only factor that needs to be taken into account. After extensive research and testing of indicators had been carried out it became clear that the data that is generally accessible for long-term monitoring of trends in agrobiodiversity is not sufficient. Due to this, a completely different approach was taken: using the Delphi Method to survey expert opinions. By using the Delphi Method, the tasks of networking organisations and institutions, documentation and up-dating of relevant data and the establishment of an Early Warning System for critically endangered livestock breeds and cultivated plants could be better met. Here the results of this study 2004-2007 may be downloaded:

=> ALM_Final_Report.pdf (Report 2007, PDF, 1.5 MB)
=> ALM_Summary.pdf (short version of the final report, PDF, 146 KB)

The first edition of the study from 1993/95 in german-french-italian-slovenian (544 pages, illustrated with colour photos) is still available and can be ordered by e-mail for a reduced price of Euro 20 (plus postage)

For orders in any bookshop please use ISBN 3-258-06669-8 or contact Hauptverlag, (http://www.haupt.ch), Falkenplatz 14, CH-3001 Bern (Price: EUR 24.-/CHF 36.- (including forwarding costs).

office(at)save-foundation.net

SAVE Head Office
Joseph-Belli-Weg 5
D-78467 Konstanz
Germany

12-15, 2007


	Monitoring in the Alps
	Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe
back to Publicationlist back to Projects	Studies concerning "Agricultural Genetic Resources of the Alps" A broad diversity of breeds and varieties developed in the Alpine region with its very different landscape segments, and its somehow more difficult production conditions. Thus, they can be regarded as especially undemanding and hardy. They are particularly interesting because they are adapted to high altitude and the respective ground, strong solar radiation and short vegetation periods, differing thus very much from the current breeding lines. Because of that, the acknowledged scientist N.I.Vavilov describes the Alps as "secondary genetic centre". Fortunately, the extrusion process through high-performing breeds has started much later in the Alps, thus increasing the chance for survival for some of the traditional animal breeds and plant varieties. Still, robust animal and plants are important in the first line in the Alpine region. In order to be prepared for dry or wet, cold or warm years, a broad diversity, especially of cultivated plants, is still of importance today. Not only highest performance rates do count in the mountains, but also a good average yield. In 1992 CIPRA (the International Committee for the Protection of the Alps) asked the foundation Pro Specie Rara to make a study on the "Agricultural Genetic Recources of the Alps". Between the French Maritime Alps and Slovenia about 100 endangered breeds each comprising less than 1.000 animals were identfied. In about 40 % of these cases no conservation efforts were made. It was an essential implication of the study to modify the "snap shot of 1993" into a permanent observation, as the situation of the endangered breeds and varieties is always changing. To be able to recognize negative developments in time, it should be of greatest importance to establish an effective, transboundary monitoring system. This took place from 1995 on by building up the "Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe" in St. Gallen (Switzerland). In 1999 CIPRA - again financially supported by the Bristol Foundation - assigned the "Monitoring Institute" to update the study and to more intensively work on the situation of plant varieties. As in the different countries not only the numbers of the remaining populations but also the general legal and political conditions had changed, this originally intended update resulted in an overall new edition. The study from 1993 is now updated for 2000/2001, including a detailed study on the situation of cultivated plants. After the summaries of the updated study have been available as download from the project page of the Monitoring Institute for some time, the printed version has now been published, too. The publication of the Bristol Foundation (178 pages with 98 coloured illustrations) contains the synthesis in 5 languages, and the enclosed CD-ROM contains the full text of the study in English and German. The text is designed as reference book, important contact addresses appear several times. The integrated search function facilitates the search for certain ex-pressions or simply to surf in the text. Websites and e-mail addresses are activated so that either browser or e-mail program may establish the desired link automatically. Continuous Monitoring of Agricultural Biodiversity in the Alpine Region: The Alpine Delphi 2007 In the above mentioned studies it became apparent that there was an urgent need to create a permanent, simple monitoring infrastructure equipped with an early warning system. However, it is clear that a study on a similar scale to the two previous ones cannot be repeated every two years. The aim of monitoring the Alpine Agrobiodiversity is to monitor the whole agrarian system. Data on stock numbers and cultivated areas is important but it is not the only factor that needs to be taken into account. After extensive research and testing of indicators had been carried out it became clear that the data that is generally accessible for long-term monitoring of trends in agrobiodiversity is not sufficient. Due to this, a completely different approach was taken: using the Delphi Method to survey expert opinions. By using the Delphi Method, the tasks of networking organisations and institutions, documentation and up-dating of relevant data and the establishment of an Early Warning System for critically endangered livestock breeds and cultivated plants could be better met. Here the results of this study 2004-2007 may be downloaded: => ALM_Final_Report.pdf (Report 2007, PDF, 1.5 MB) => ALM_Summary.pdf (short version of the final report, PDF, 146 KB)	The first edition of the study from 1993/95 in german-french-italian-slovenian (544 pages, illustrated with colour photos) is still available and can be ordered by e-mail for a reduced price of Euro 20 (plus postage) For orders in any bookshop please use ISBN 3-258-06669-8 or contact Hauptverlag, (http://www.haupt.ch), Falkenplatz 14, CH-3001 Bern (Price: EUR 24.-/CHF 36.- (including forwarding costs).
office(at)save-foundation.net SAVE Head Office Joseph-Belli-Weg 5 D-78467 Konstanz Germany			12-15, 2007