Pro Natura: taking care of the Swiss natural heritage

Non Profit ID card: present your project/organisation/campaign

–         Where are you based? In Bellinzona in the Ticino canton (Switzerland)

–         What are you called? Pro Natura Ticino. We are the section of the homonymous national association headquartered in Basel, which is the main association for the protection of nature in Switzerland. It deals with the management of about 600 natural reserves.

–         What are you doing and why? We deal with the protection of biodiversity dividing our activities to four pillars: concrete protection (particularly managing natural reserves), political and juridical work, environmental education (especially through our youth activities) and communication towards the public.

–         Do you have a website/email? www.pronatura.ch/ti; pronatura-ti [at]pronatura.ch

 

The turning point

–         How did you start? 49 years ago through a group of enthusiasts who wanted to promote nature protection in Ticino.

–         What keeps you going every day? We don’t need to motivate ourselves; work and the perspective that we can do something for nature are already exciting enough.

–         Who is your target? All potential nature lovers: anyone who shares our objectives can join Pro Natura.  In Ticino we count 2000 members, and in the whole of Switzerland more than 100,000.

–         How are you financed? With members’ contributions and the remaining part of a legacy obtained more than 20 years ago.

 

The challenge

–         A proud moment? Three natural reserves that we participated in founding  (Bolle di Magadino, Muzzano Lake and Bedrina Marsh, last two of which are our own property); the restoration of the delta dynamism at the mouth of the Ticino in the Verbano (a project which is about to be concluded, and which has been undertaken together with several other partners)

–         A problem you face? We didn’t manage to stop biodiversity’s decline in Ticino (and, to tell the truth, not even in our reserves)

–         Your personal motto when things get hard? There’s no harm in trying

–         Anything else you want to add? A radical change in people’s attitude towards nature is needed. People need to consume less energy. Technical measures are necessary but they are not enough by themselves.

www.pronatura.ch/ti

Go to Vita Europe Non Profit ID card on Banque de Luxembourg European philanthropy symposium