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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/" TARGET="_parent"><IMG SRC="primalplo.gif" ALT="PRIMALP - homepage" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=100 WIDTH=114 ALIGN=ABSCENTER></A></A>
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<CENTER><B><FONT SIZE=+1><FONT COLOR=#006600>Our Mission</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
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<CENTER><B><FONT FACE="Arial"><FONT SIZE=+1>Polyproject PRIMALP — Sustainable
Primary Production in the Alpine Region</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
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<P>The quickly changing ecological, economic, social, and political environments
confront society and science with new challenges to solve existing and
newly emerging conflicts which impede both a sustainable land use, and
sustainable agriculture and forestry in the Alpine region. A broad interdisciplinary
co-operation is required to develop improved technical, organizational
and political concepts and solutions for sustainable future primary production.
These principles are pursued within the scope of the Polyproject 'PRIMALP — Sustainable Primary Production in the Alpine Region'. The project has
two main objectives:
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Identification and development of sustainable agricultural and forestry
production systems for the Alpine region ('best practices' projects);</LI>
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Development of tools and models for the analysis and evaluation of infrastructure
requirements and policy decision-making ('best policies' projects).</LI>
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Specific research topics are dealt with as
<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_rep.htm">individual projects</A>. The results of the individual projects are integrated into
a '<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_kpr.htm">Core
Project</A>'. Within the scope of the Core Project, an ecological-economic
model is built. It serves as a tool for the evaluation of alternative production
systems and as a means for the development and communication of consistent
concepts for a resource-efficient and sustainable agriculture and forestry
in mountain regions.
<P>This research is carried out as a so-called Polyproject. Polyprojects
are interdisciplinary research projects funded by ETH Zurich in which various
institutes from engineering, natural and social sciences of the ETH participate.
First projects started in May 1997. The overall project duration is five years.
Projects are carried out as PhD theses. 11 PhD students and the project manager
are involved in approved projects. Another 3 to 5 projects are submitted or planned for
submission.
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_mis.htm">Our Mission</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_ovr.htm">Background</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_mit.htm">Participants</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_rep.htm">Projects</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_lit.htm">Publications</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_new.htm">News
and Events</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_lin.htm">Links</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/prim_con.htm">Contact Us</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.ethz.ch/HomePage_GE.html" TARGET="_blank">ETH Zurich</A>
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<A HREF="http://www.primalp.ethz.ch/internal" TARGET="_blank">Internal</A>
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<DIV ALIGN =RIGHT>Responsible for this page:
<A HREF="mailto:nikolaus.gotsch@iaw.agrl.ethz.ch">Nikolaus Gotsch</A>; - last update: 26 January 2000
<BR>designed by <A HREF="mailto:richard.eberlin@iaw.agrl.ethz.ch">reb</A>
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