Biodiversity management in winter sports: the European SLOPE project with the contribution of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies
Strengthening the knowledge and skills of ski organizations in biodiversity management. This is the main objective of the Erasmus+ SLOPE project (Ski Leans On the Promotion of the Environment), a 30-month European initiative coordinated by the Fédération Française de Ski (FFS) involving a broad European partnership comprising the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Sustainability and Climate of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA), the Norwegian Ski Federation (NSF Norges Skiforbund), the Estonian Ski Association (ESA), and the Sihtasutus Stockholmi Keskkonnainstituudi Tallinna Keskus (SEI). Due to its strategic nature and importance, the project is also actively supported, as an external entity, by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
Biodiversity management in skiing
SLOPE focuses specifically on biodiversity management as a key environmental concern, distinguishing itself from programs focused on climate change. In this context, SLOPE is the first assessment and implementation project focused specifically on the skiing sector in relation to biodiversity management. The project was conceived by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, coordinator of the BENCHES project, which, involving different sports, aims to develop a tool for biodiversity management by sports organizations. Unlike BENCHES, SLOPE is characterized by the objective of identifying biodiversity risks in the specific sector of skiing, developing specialized tools, and implementing nature-based solutions in European winter events.
The Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies research team working on the project is coordinated by Tiberio Daddi, associate professor of Economics and Business Management.
The four main lines of action of the project
The project is structured around four main lines of action: the comprehensive assessment of biodiversity management in the ski industry represents the first pillar. This work will include the analysis of biodiversity risks and opportunities in the ski sector, the identification of biodiversity-specific key performance indicators (KPIs), and the development of guidelines for supply chain management.
The second line of action concerns the implementation of concrete biodiversity solutions with pilot tests. These will include the integration of biodiversity strategies into the governance frameworks of ski federations, the implementation of biodiversity assessment tools adapted to skiing, and the analysis of product traceability and sustainability.
Strengthening skills and knowledge through education, information, and networking is the third pillar. The strategy includes a series of webinars (at least four webinars for a total of one hour per webinar), three awareness campaigns dedicated to different stakeholders, and three networking events focusing on EU policy-makers, Sport for Nature initiatives in line with the IUCN, and cross-cutting collaboration with other European projects.
Finally, the fourth line of action will focus on communication and dissemination of results. This axis includes the creation of a dedicated website, social media communication channels, a newsletter, promotional videos, international press releases, interim and final conferences with at least 50 participants, participation in international academic conferences on sports management, and the publication of at least one scientific article in an international journal.
The launch of the SLOPE project marks a significant moment for the integration of biodiversity management into European winter sports sustainability strategies, paving the way for new practices and standards that can be adopted by ski organizations internationally.
