Jachen Andri Planta has long been passionate about mountain culture and nature. He is a founder of the local group of Pro Natura / Friends of the Earth Switzerland in Val Müstair, one the country’s most remote regions. Meanwhile, he helps lead the movement for the valley to be designated as a UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve.

Jachen Andri is a mountain farmer and guide, and has helped train special sheepdogs which keep wolves and bears away from the sheep that summer in the alpine meadows. While he began doing this to protect his own sheep, he also intended to show that traditional alpine farming lifestyles are compatible with a living environment. Big predators – once extinct in Switzerland – are now quickly returning to their ancient territories thanks to the protection they enjoy in Italian natural parks.

Large carnivores are part of our heritage and have key ecosystem functions. Wolves and bears are expanding their ranges in the Alps, and this comeback, while celebrated by nature enthusiasts, is often opposed by farmers.

Many are afraid for their livestock that they keep practically unprotected throughout the summer in high alpine pastures.

Solutions exist for the coexistence of traditional farming and wild nature, based on strong cultural links between humans and nature. A balanced lifestyle is key to maintaining the high levels of biodiversity and much-cherished landscapes found throughout the Alpine chain.

Jachen Andri is one of many farmers who want to get back to their roots and integrate nature and (agri)culture by engaging in organic farming, cultivating ancient local breeds, and restoring biodiverse land. Pro Natura supports this model, working both locally with small-scale farmers, and at the political level to ensure a better future for agriculture and wild nature. Fighting against industrialised, intensive models of food production and tourism is an essential way to stop biodiversity loss and maintain a heritage of coexistence between humans and nature in the heart of our continent.