Parc Ela ('' Rumantsch'': Ela Park) is a nature park in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It is intended to protect the regional

biotope A biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of flora (plants), plants and fauna (animals), animals. ''Biotope'' is almost synonymous with the term habitat (ecology), "habitat", which ...

, help to promote its sustainable use and give a boost to an area rich in scenery and national cultural assets, but weak economically. Unlike Switzerland's only

national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

, which is reserved to nature alone, the Parc Ela covers the settled and cultivated territory of around 21

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

, notably Tiefencastel, Bergün, Savognin and Bivio. The park takes its name from Piz Ela, the 3,338-metre mountain peak at its center. Marmorera See

The park is organised as a private association of local activists, supported financially by contributions from the local municipalities, the cantons of Graubünden and

Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

and the conservation group Pro Natura, as well as by the goodwill of the Swiss federal government. Apart from road signs, visitors can see few actual indications that they are entering a protected area, as the park's activities focus on ecological, cultural, tourist and economical development and cooperation. The park's legal recognition depends on a change in the Swiss law on the protection of nature and the countryside, which as of 2006 remained tied up in parliament due to disputes over whether federal financial support should be mandatory.

References

External links

*
Parc Ela website
{{Coord, 46, 35, 39, N, 9, 41, 35, E, region:CH-GR_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Geography of Graubünden Protected areas of the Alps Protected areas of Switzerland

See also

References

External links