2Bparks - Creative Sustainable Management, Territorially Compatible Marketing, and Environmental Education

2Bparks sought to integrate environmental issues into core institutional thinking and private investment choices by developing innovative governance patterns for protected-area enhancement. To achieve this goal, 2Bparks:
- Assisted protected-area managers with effective decision-making when economic issues and social situations had to be reconciled with the environmental issues of protected-area policies and plans.
- Involved businesses and the public as effective drivers of protected-area enhancement.
- Created new possible employment positions, supported and enabled by the biodiversity and landscape diversity; contributed to education and research.
- Increased collective awareness of protected-area values and opportunities while strengthening sustainable tourism in protected areas.

2BParks general objectives were: the planning and management of protected areas by creating a Strategy for directing their development; creating a Strategy for expanding sustainable tourism and its marketing to the public and private sectors; contribute to research and the public’s education by preparing an interactive educational website, thus giving protected areas a competitive advantage and enabling new employment positions.

The sound balance between the improved standard and condition of living on one hand and preserving nature and natural resources on the other hand had an encouraging effect on sustainable development, supported by environmental, economic and social aspects, as well as cultural diversity.

By integrating environmental concerns into decision-making processes and developing sustainable tourism and awareness, 2Bparks contributed to sustainable utilization of natural resources and strengthened connections among Mediterranean societies, economies, and protected areas. The Slovenian protected area included in the project, Ljubljansko barje Nature Park, a 150 km² wetland, is one of the southernmost raised bogs in Europe, stretching across the southern part of the Ljubljana Basin. However, the millennia-long coexistence of man and nature has begun to show cracks in the past few decades. Consequently, this area was declared the Ljubljansko barje Nature Park in the fall of 2008. The park’s goal is to protect its biodiversity and landscape diversity and to promote sustainable development in harmony with regional tradition. 2Bparks helped this project during the starting phases of the park development.

In Ljubljansko barje Nature Park, the designs for interpreting the natural and cultural heritage in 15 selected areas were created. Special attention was paid to the Iška River. 11 signboards were made for The Iška River Meander Nature Trail and were set up along 13 km of existing trails. Three e-lessons were added to the contents of the trail. These are intended for three different groups of elementary and high school-aged children. The field exercise bank was created, where the children and their mentors can familiarize themselves with the field tasks along the Iška River. The website contains over 50 tasks for three different groups of elementary and high school-aged children. Visitors can adjust the tasks to suit their needs and print them out in PDF format. The e-lessons and the field exercise bank are learning materials created by experts and have been coordinated with the curriculums for elementary and high schools. We also created the preliminary draft of the “Meander Open-Air Classroom” concept, which will help visitors understand how nature functions and how humans impact it. Finally, a publication entitled Heritage Evaluation in the Ljubljana Marshes, is set to be published in the fall of 2014.