The European Day of Parks is a commemorative day for Protected Areas across Europe that was launched in 1999 by the EUROPARC Federation to celebrate Protected Areas throughout Europe. It celebrates the creation of the 1st National Parks in Europe – a set of nine parks created in Sweden in 1909. 

• 2021: Parks – The Next Generation
• 2020 was a year that posed big challenges for Parks around Europe. From no visitors to an overflow of visitors, from floods to droughts and from invasive species to a decline in biodiversity – the challenges are numerous. However, if there is one thing that nature teaches us, it is that to survive we need to adapt. 

Covid-19 has, once again, highlighted Europe’s need for green spaces. The European recovery plan “Next Generation EU” promises to build a better, greener and more resilient Europe. EUROPARC is convinced that Parks and Protected Areas need to be involved in discussions about the future, and work hard on efficient solutions to ensure a safer and sustainable Europe.  So, what have you learned from the challenges that 2020 posed? And what does this mean for the future of Parks? In short; what does the next generation of Parks look like? That is what we want to discover and celebrate during this year’s European Day of Parks! It is time to refresh and rethink what Parks offer, to adapt to new methods of communication, new infrastructures and new visitors. Of course, when thinking about the next generation of Parks, youth involvement is absolutely essential – at all levels of Parks management. After all, they are the next generation of nature professionals. However, please note that the theme “The Next Generation” is not limited to just young people! It can be new ways of working, changes in management or adaptations due to the corona crisis: feel free to get creative!  

• More details here: https://www.europarc.org/nature/european-day-of-parks/