Countryside Management Association News

Those younger members of CMA and others under age 35 might like to consider applying for the 2010 Alfred Toepfer Scholarship (managed by EUROPARC).

Participation in the Alfred Toepfer Scholarship programme is open to all those under age 35 who are employed by any European protected area or a nature conversation institution as well as students and graduates of higher educational institutions. The objective is for awardees to travel to other European protected areas gathering experience which will be both of benefit for their future career and to the EUROPARC Federation and its members. Awards are of 3,000 Euros.

Applicants can apply for the following themes:

Biodiversity
Climate Change
Integrated Management of Natural Resources
(water,forest, etc.)
Rural Development (interaction between rural
and urban landscapes)
Renewable Energy
Sustainable Tourism
Food and Agriculture
Health and Protected Areas
Environmental Education and Communication
International / Transboundary Cooperation

For detailed information about applying for the scholarships please see the 2010 scholarship guidelines at http://www.europarc.org/uploaded/documents/280.pdf
Registration for 2010 will open on February 15th. when the online registration form will become available. Applications will remain open until 16th May 2010.

Previous winners from UK are Rachel Danneman in 2008 (Peak District NP) and Saira Sheldrake (New Forest NP) and Naomi Scuffil (Dartmoor NP) in 2009.
Rachel spent time touring the Greek National Parks looking at management of fire and water issues.
Saira hopes to develop a tool to predict disturbance distances of the recreational sport of Kite-surfing on wintering and wading birds in protected areas with coastlines
Naomi plans to study landscape-scale nature conservation projects in two German National Parks.

Roger Cole
CMA International Adviser