INTERVIEW: Dr. Dominik Kaim on FORUM CARPATICUM

What makes the Carpathian Mountains a unique and important ecosystem that warrants conservation efforts?

The Carpathians are the second-largest mountain range in Europe, simultaneously a biodiversity hot spot. This is the home for the largest carnivores (i.e., brown bear, wolf) and herbivores (European bison) on the continent living there. Therefore, international scientific and institutional cooperation is needed to protect this area of unique conservation value.  

Could you highlight some of the key ecological, cultural, or biodiversity aspects of the Carpathian Mountains that make them significant?

High biodiversity value, as mentioned above, is already known. But considering plants, it is important to mention the role of biodiversity-rich grasslands observed there, which are unique due to management practices still visible in large areas of the mountains. This is a result of the synergy between Carpathian cultural and ecological values.

Are the main goals and objectives of the Forum Carpaticum conference connected with it?

The conference is an international forum to discuss the sustainable mountain development aspects of the whole region. The outcomes are regularly, after each event, presented to the Carpathian Convention, an institutional body responsible for policy improvement, taking the region’s sustainability into account.

How does the conference aim to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical initiatives in the Carpathian region?

Although usually focused on basic research, the conference summarises the outcomes in a way that might be useful for practitioners or policymakers on the international level. The practitioners and stakeholders are also welcome at the event, either on the typical scientific sessions or various types of side events organized along the conference.

In what ways do you anticipate that the Forum Carpaticum conference will influence policy strategies/ formulation related to the Carpathian Mountains’ conservation and sustainable development?

Close cooperation of conference organizers, the scientific network S4C Science for the Carpathians, and the Carpathian Convention, as well as other stakeholders, makes it easier for us to influence the strategic thinking about the protection and use of resources of the Carpathians, which are important far beyond the boundaries of the geographical region (i.e., the water resources of the Carpathian rivers).