Site: Pan-European, see map
Type of Partnership: Normative partnership to set standards and build capacity to meet standards
Website(s): http://www.panparks.org/Introduction/Vision
Contact Name:
Phone: +36 96 433925
Email: info@panparks.org
Address: 264, 9002 Győr, Hungary
Description: A partnership between the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Dutch travel and tourism firm Molecaten, and parks throughout Europe, which brings stakeholders in Europe’s wilderness areas together.

PAN Parks is the world's first operational, third-party certification system under the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas' Framework for Management Effectiveness. A park becomes certified following verification by a team of independent experts, in accord with criteria & indicators established by the PAN Parks partnership. PAN Parks principles cover relevant environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects to ensure high standards of management for both conservation and sustainable development. Principles allow for objective verification and transparency.

PAN Parks’ prime objective is to form a network of self-regulating ecosystems with large carnivores and herbivores on a European wide scale. Without the presence and possibility of viewing such animals, the task of adding economic value to nature in a protected area becomes increasingly difficult. A minimum size of 20,000 ha is required for participation of a protected area in PAN Parks.
PAN Parks targets two types of companies:
1. Medium scale tourism businesses that are based in Europe selling trips to green destinations in Europe: The Foundation strives for partnerships with small and medium sized tourism enterprises that are interested in organising trips to these high quality wilderness areas of Europe.
2. Small scale local (tourism) businesses in and around the parks:
(accommodation providers, guides, supermarkets, bicycle rental and repairs, etc)/
PAN Parks is also forming partnerships with small business owners in certified PAN Parks. These PAN Parks partners will use the PAN Parks trademark as a guarantee that visitors using these facilities contribute to the protection of the protected area.
Tourism helps to provide what is necessary for the long-term survival of protected areas in Europe: a basis for partnerships between relevant stakeholders; awareness, pride and a sense of ownership; and economic support for conservation. Safeguarding Europe's natural heritage must involve the full integration of communities surrounding a PAN Park. Communities must have a shared sense of ownership and responsibility towards their natural surroundings. Through tourism development a PAN Park will experience economic benefits provided at a local level, giving reason for environmental protection. Local representatives are expected to become a PAN Park's best conservation ambassadors through implementing the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy.

Verification is carried out by teams of independent experts as prescribed in the Verification Manual. The verification procedure can be divided into three phases: verification of the protected area, its Sustainable Tourism Strategy and the local business partners.
1. Engaging of an external expert who helps the park’s staff in the preliminary planning of the sustainability strategy.
2. Conducting of a campaign for education and involvement of stakeholders.
3. Conducting stakeholder consultations.
4. Undertaking revisions of the stategy based upon stakeholder inputs.
5. Stakeholders are invited to nominate representatives to the management process.

PAN Parks' comprehensive approach helps meet the complex ecological and social needs of Europe's protected areas. The PAN Parks logo represents a reliable and respected trademark for conservation management and sustainable development, and an incentive for park visitors.

source: PAN Parks website