Finges/Pfyn forest, above Miege, canton Valais

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Seven new regional nature parks in Switzerland, five of which are in French-speaking areas, now have federal funding that will allow their development to go ahead. The parks cover some of Switzerland’s most beautiful semi-wilderness areas. Le Doubs, for example, has magnificent rivers, canyons, forest and waterfalls but tourism is little developed in the area. The regional park’s fund go to building an infrastructure that adds to the regional economy while protecting the natural environment.

The funding follows the approval of plans earlier in 2009 and negotiations between the cantons and the Federal Office of the Environment (FOEN), Bern announced 1 December.

The parks will receive federal funds worth almost CHF5 million until end 2011.

A regional nature park is one of several categories of park in Switzerland and is defined as “a partly populated rural area, characterized by high nature and landscape values, with buildings and installations that fit harmoniously into the landscape and sites of local character”.

The new parks in the Lake Geneva region include:

One existing park, 9 being created, in Switzerland

the Doubs
Gruyère-Pays d’Enhaut
Jurassien Vaudois
Biosphère Val d’Hérens.

The Pfyn/Finges forest in Valais is on the French and German language divide near Sierre.

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