At the 6th Park Research Switzerland Conference (6. Tagung Parkforschung Schweiz), October 2025, I presented findings from one of my Marie-Curie Fellowship case studies in the United States: Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We then discussed what we can take from this case for the Swiss context, in particular, how cultural and spiritual values can be meaningfully integrated into decision-making criteria in protected area governance. It also became clear that there is still work to be done to understand how such values can be recognized, negotiated, and balanced alongside social, ecological, and economic considerations.
A warm thank you to the organizers — Forum Landschaft, Alpen, Pärke (FoLAP), the Institute of Tourism at HES-SO Valais-Wallis, and the Naturpark Pfyn-Finges — for the excellent hosting and the inspiring conversations on governance, tourism, and recreation in Swiss parks and beyond.
Conference website and Book of Abstracts here.
