Media release - General meeting and park festival in the Binntal Landscape Park

The park festival took place for the third time following the general meeting of the Binntal Nature Park Association. This year, members, guests and interested parties met in Grengiols.

‘With the park festival, we would like to say thank you to our members, the local population and guests for supporting the Binntal Nature Park,’ says Managing Director Moritz Clausen. ‘We also want to provide first-hand information about current projects and hold as many discussions as possible about the park's objectives and the expectations of the park's residents.’ It was that time again last Saturday. For the third time, a party with culinary delights and music took place after the Annual General Meeting, which this year was held in the ‘Brüchematte’ multi-purpose hall in Grengiols.

‘Best in class’ and more money for the next four years

President Moritz Schwery opened the 22nd General Assembly last Saturday with the words ‘With strengthened roots into the future’, referring to the new 2025-2028 programme period that was developed last year. ‘In the coming years, we also want to live sustainability in all three areas - economically, ecologically and socially,’ emphasised the President. Moritz Clausen added: ‘The 2025-2028 strategy process was labour-intensive, but the feedback from the Federal Office for the Environment confirms that we are on the right track.’ It was particularly pleasing that the Binntal Landscape Park was rated as ‘best in class’ among Swiss parks in some areas, such as education and spatial planning. The park also scored very well in the area of biodiversity. ‘In addition, the Binntal Landscape Park will be granted an increase in federal funding for the next four years, although the total amount for Swiss parks will remain the same but will be distributed across more parks,’ says Moritz Clausen happily.

The Annual General Meeting focussed on the 2024 annual report with an outlook for 2025, with the park employees themselves talking about their projects, which made the meeting very lively. The same projects were each presented at a stand after the meeting. Members and guests were able to find out more about education, regional products, the natural and cultural landscape and the redesigned Binntal Regional Museum and discuss them in person with the project managers. The two restaurants Grängierstuba and Poort A Poort, the Grengiols Alpine dairy cooperative and the Grengiols village association were responsible for the catering. Musical entertainment was provided by the Ärner Büebe.

Theo Imhof, Kevin Bortis and Laudo Albrecht new members of the board
The four park municipalities of Binn, Ernen, Grengiols and Bister each have one representative on the board of the Binntal Nature Park Association. While Francesco Walter was confirmed for Ernen and Renato Schmid for Grengiols, there was a change in the other two municipalities: Theo Imhof, municipal councillor of Binn, was elected to the board as successor to Rudolf Jossen, and Kevin Bortis, mayor of Bister, was elected as successor to Edwin Zeiter. Laudo Albrecht, former head of the Pro Natura Centre Aletsch, was also newly elected to replace Sven Wirthner from the Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife Service. President Moritz Schwery and the other board members Chantal Carlen, Rita Wagner Seiler and Adeline Zumstein were unanimously confirmed.

In conclusion, the President said: "We are looking forward with confidence to the next four years, in which we want to continue to drive forward the sustainable development of the park region with new projects and innovative approaches. Our goal remains to preserve the Binntal Nature Park as a place worth living in for current and future generations and to continue to develop it in a high-quality manner."

Contacts:
Moritz Schwery, President, 079 745 34 55
Moritz Clausen, Managing Director, 079 299 20 28

Caption:
- For the third time, a park festival was held after the general meeting of the Binntal Landscape Park.
- Employees Andreas Gattlen and Steffi Manas provide information at their stand.