The Results of this year are as follows:
| Country | Town | Village |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Schwaz GOLD MEDAL | St. Anton am Arlberg GOLD MEDAL |
| Belgium | Hamont-Achel SILVER MEDAL | |
| Czech Republic | Brno GOLD MEDAL | Kostelni Lhota SILVER MEDAL |
| Germany | Duchroth GOLD MEDAL | |
| Hungary | Kaposvár SILVER MEDAL | Tihany GOLD MEDAL |
| Ireland | Glaslough GOLD MEDAL |
|
| Ireland | Abbeyleix, Co. Laois SILVER MEDAL |
|
| Italy | Pomaretto SILVER MEDAL |
|
| Italy | Faedo SILVER MEDAL |
|
| The Netherlands | Beek en Donk GOLD MEDAL | |
| Slovenia | Piran SILVER MEDAL | |
| Slovenia | Zalec GOLD MEDAL |
The speech of the AEFP president can be downloaded here.
The Prize giving ceremony was organized in Slovenia, Podcetrtek. If you would like to see the event, please click on this YouTube link.
For the pictures of the prize giving ceremony, click here.
St. Anton is one of the most iconic winter sports destinations in the world. The village has been shaped by the people that call it home and by the harsh mountain environment that surrounds it. St. Antons’s citizens are committed to preserving its rich ski heritage and small-town mountain lifestyle for future generations. Besides the natural beauty of Arlberg Region, the population of 2 450 has embraced a warm, friendly demeanor and an insatiable thirst for all the adventure these mountains provide. St. Anton has historic and newly erected recreational spaces that tell a story about their role in the evolution of the village. The old village of St. Anton has evolved into a modern resort, where the traditional architectural legacy is complemented by contemporary architecture. Three independent hydroelectric power plants provide the village with a renewable source of energy. St. Anton provides a high quality of life to its residents.
If you would like to know more, look at the Portfolio of St. Anton am Arlberg
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The city of Schwaz is located in the heart of the Austrian Alps, in the centre of the province of Tyrol. Surrounded by impressive mountain peaks, this former mining town nestles against a backdrop of gentle alpine slopes and is situated on the bed of the Inn Valley.
As disctrict capital, Schwaz is the vibrant centre of this region, as well as a focal point of economic, administrative and cultural life.
Schwaz is entrenched in beautiful natural landscapes, surrounded by woodlands and meadows. The city is rich in history and home to an array of remarkable buildings and monuments. the community offers its visitors and residents numerous green spaces and areas for relaxation and recreation. Environmental education begins at kindergarten age and continues into adult life. Schwaz is home to the largest fruit and horticulture association in Western Austria. The people of Schwaz are creative in designing their living space and love their gardens. Together with its inhabitants, it is a matter of great concern to the city administration to continually improve quality of life and facilitate innovation and creativity.
If you would like to know more, have a look at the Portfolio of Schwaz.
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The charming town of Hamont-Achel is located in the far north of the Limburg province, on the Dutch border. The town of 14 500 inhabitants covers about 43.66 km² and has a large area of woodland. The open agricultural landscape, the quiet extensive nature, the fierce scent of pine forests and the surprising historical testimonies in the urban centres, together with the green Warmbeek Valley, make it an excellent place for walking and cycling. But above all, there is the hospitality of its inhabitants. Hamont-Achel is a hidden gem. At first glance, inconspicuous. But with the subtle details, this is a place to fall in love with. Hamont-Achel is a pleasing gateway to the rest of the region. A combination of natural beauty and urban comfort. Natural wealth is one of the assets which Hamont-Achel holds especially dear. This charming little city brings together the best from very different worlds. Nature and city go hand in hand to create the perfect climate to live, work, relax and be happy. The balance between these pillars is ensured by a dynamic which keeps every aspect of life fresh and inspiring.
For more information, see the Portfolio of Hamont-Achel.
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Kostelni Lhota is a small village with 851 inhabitants in Central Bohemia, about 40 km from Prague. The character of the territory is given by vast fertile farmland and pine forests. Agriculture and a strategic road also determined the typical ribbon development character of the village. A wide village green along the main road is mainly created by numerous ash and lime trees.
Great emphasis is placed on linking the village with the landscape and surroundings, especially by safe cycle tracks.
Several active societies and clubs take care of the community life by developing sport activities, traditions and rich cultural life. In addition to that, in recent years, there has been a progressing citizen’s participation in the development and care of public spaces and the environment. Volunteers activities include a regular cleaning of the village, planting tree avenues or taking care of the greenery in front of the houses.
To learn more, have a look at the Portfolio of Kostelni Lhota.
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Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic. The city lies at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka Rivers and it is surrounded by the picturesque South Moravian countryside. Many refurbished municipal parks can be found there, such as the first public park in the Czech lands called Lužánky, the Koliště Park in place of former city walls, the Špilberk Park situated on the hill with the castle of the same name or the newest park in Brno called Pod Plachtami (Under the Sails). Surroundings of the Brno Dam with forests and newly created green spaces in the southeastern agricultural part of the region serve as popular relaxation areas in the countryside. A natural biotope pool with water cleaned by plants, algae and micro-organisms without using toxic chemicals was also built for recreational purposes. The city of Brno constantly strives for progressive restoration of municipal parks, planting new green vegetation in the streets as well as for the biodegradable waste treatment, e. g. with the help of the MiniWaste Project offering compost boxes to households. Various ecological projects aiming at reducing the energy demand of municipal buildings have been underway. The efficient Brno public transport is getting cheaper in order to offer a smarter alternative to individual car transport. The air quality is regularly monitored for possible pollutant emissions and the solid fuel sources haven been continuously moved to uninhabited areas. Educational courses for teenagers are organized by the Center for Environmental Education called Hlídka (Patrol) affiliated to the Brno ZOO. Inhabitants and visitors of Brno can closely observe nature in two botanical gardens and an arboretum owned and operated by local universities.
Would you like to know more? See the Portfolio of Brno.
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Duchroth is situated in the most beautiful part of the River Nahe between Bad Kreuznach and Bad Sobernheim. In 1992 the municipality createt a village restoration concept because due to the structural change in agriculture about 50% of the building fabric in the center was empty – mostly barns and stables. In order to preserve and revitalize these buildings by means of reconstruction and new use, it was decided not to declare any new residential areas around the village but to attract young families, winemakers and craftsmen to preserve the old village center.The municipality invented the slogan “Our new building areais the old village center “ and started a most successful process that continues until today. Supported by other programs like cadastral regulation Duchroth has become an idyllic and livable village with a healthy age structure and good infrastructure. Duchroth is characterized by an unusual multiple number of green areas and gardens. They accompany the historical ringpath around Duchroth like a ring of gardens. The village carries the supplement “village of roses and wine”.
A lot of plant themes are found in Duchroth. Plants which are protected and which are very seldom ( “Rote Liste Germany” ) grow in and around Duchroth. So Duchroth is one of the 30 hotspots of Biodiversity in Germany.
For further information, please see Portfolio of Duchroth.
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Tihany is a village on the northern shore lf Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula. It is a beautiful and popular touristic destination. Its history dates black to 1055, when King Andrew I. chose Tihany its burial place and founded a monastery here. The natural surrounding is also unique. The surface of the volcanic peninsula is covered by limestone geysers. The rare treasures of flora and fauna owe their presence to the relatively mild, Mediterranean-like climate. these values resulted in the declaration of National park in 1952 – the first of its kind in Hungary. Today the size of the protected area is 1562 ha, 195 ha of which strictly protected, under the management of the Balaton Uplands National Park. Tihany Peninsula – due to its geological values and the work of nature conservation – was awarded the European Diploma in 2003.
The Natura 2000 areas ensure the possibility of the conservation of habitats, plant and animal species which are of European importance.
Due to the recent developments in the historical part of the village, Tihany vas awarded the European Village Renewas Award in 2014, and received two more prestigious awards. In addition to the preservation of the built environment huge efforts are being made for the maintenance of green areas.
Wanna know more? See the Portfolio of Tihany.
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The city of Kaposvár is located in the centre of the Southern-Transdanubian region.. Dynamic urban development has been characteristic of the city since the 18th– 19th centuries and town embellishment and planting boast decade-long traditions with the launch of the movement “Flowery Kaposvár” in the 1930’s. Committed to uphold these traditions, Kaposvár focuses on permanent and seasonal planting, improving the municipal green estates and promoting horticulture. Kaposvár has earned several awards in the movement “Hungary in Bloom” and in 2004 was awarded Gold medal in Entente Florale Europe. Our target remains to built a green and smart city with the main priorities including energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability. Our strong local community is the guarantee for creating an enerty-independent green city as well as preserving our cultural and natural values: painter Rippl-Rónai’s heritage, the Eclectic style city centre, public parks, the Lake Deseda, the City Baths and our events.
If you are interested, please have a look at the Portfolio of Kaposvár.
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Glaslough is a rural village situated in Co Monaghan, right to the border with Northern Ireland. It is home to castle Lestlie, the last Great House to be built in Ireland, and much of the village was built to house the Estate’s workers. While the cut stone buildings and estate walls give the village an ageless character, time has not stood still in this idyllic corner of Ireland. The Leslie family has worked with the village residents to pan for the village’s future, and for the benefit of its people. A new village green, with sympathetically designed housing extends the village and connects outlying developments. A community center, community garden, allotments and playground lies in the heart of the village, and community life. Wildlife is provided with cover to traverse the village, moving freely between the countryside and the wooded parkland of the Leslie estate. Sewerage treatment for the estate and the entire village is provided by an integrated wetlands amenity. The next generation are lea4rning the value of the word’s resources and biodiversity through the local primary school’s wind turbine constructed entirely from recycled aluminum cans, which won a national Canlt! Award in 2016. Glaslough embodies the very best in modern, sustainable living, and is a prime example of how people caring for a place can go on to shape future generations of people who live there.
To learn more about the village, have a look at the Portfolio of_Glaslough.
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Abbeyleix town (meaning Laois Abbey), a Gold medal winner in the National Tidy Towns competition, is located approximately 14 kms south of Laois’ Country town Portlaoise. It is one of the oldest planned estate towns in Ireland. It was largely built in the 18th century by Viscounts deVesci and it is now designated as a “heritage town of Ireland”. Abbeyleix invites passers-by and visitors to linger, to explore its distinct heritage and to sample its many attractions including Heritage House (Ireland’s Ancient East trail), GIY community garden and Abbeyleix bog, a natural resource managed by a community based voluntary organization, encompassing an area of almost 500 acres or 150 hectares of diverse habitats including degraded (but recovering) raised bog, lag, cutaway, wet carr woodland and meadows.
Abbeyleix is committed to the principles of sustainable development and since 2010 activity in this area has become more structured and formalized with the formation of the Abbeyleix Business and Community Forum (ABC) and most recently the Etown initiative which promotes connecting communities, businesses and people
Would you like to know more? Have a look at the Portfolio of_Abbeyleix.
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Pomaretto is a nice village with around 1000 inhabitants in the north-west part of Italy, near the French border. It is situated on the left bank of Germanasca river and is surrounded by the Alps. In spite of the mountainous conformation of the land, one of the most important production activities is vine cultivation.
During the past years the municipality implemented several projects to retain public areas such as initiatives to increase waste management awareness, to encourage the population to take care about common public areas and a campaign to promote the positioning of solar and photovoltaic systems in both public building and private houses.
Since 2011, the municipality works together with Asproflor in order to raise population awareness among environmental issues. Involving citizens and local volunteer associations in improving village look using creative and responsible skills is fundamental for the municipality.
For further information, please see the Portfolio of Pomaretto.
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Faedo is located in the Trentino/ Alto Adige-Südtyrol and is known worldwide for its wines. With its location on a terrace high above the valley on the left bank of the river, the Village has a panoramic view on the entire Adige valley.
The houses of the little medieval settlement are huddled together along the narrow streets giving a romantic atmosphere to what in past times was a defensive necessity.
Today Faedo is noted for its beautiful hilly landscapes abutting thriving woodlands and for its well-tended vineyards, where roses blooming in all shades of red add a touch of color and contrast to the rows of green vines.
If you would like to know more, please see the Portfolio of Faedo.
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Beek en Donk is also known as “garden village”. Because of it’s extensive natural landscape with a variety of recreational possibilities the town centre has a lot to offer. Ranging from natural playgrounds to the typical music garden this “green lung” is the heart of Bee ken Donk. But there is more. Along the canal ‘Zuid-Willemsvaart” we have industrial heritage and castle Eyckenlust. In the outskirts of Laarbeek agriculture and nature are inseparable. Biodiversity, water storage and extensive recreation are key elements for outer Bee ken donk. Together with citizens, farmers and many volunteers we work hard to ensure our ecological corridors and improve our natural environment. “Together we go for green!”
For more information see the Portfolio of Beek_en_Donk.
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The municipality of Žalec belongs to Savinjska region. Žalec, a town since 1964, is the administrative, economic and cultural center of the municipality and also af the subregion Lower Savinja Valley. Int he past there was well developed craftsmanship. In the 19th century, the development of Žalec is enhanced by hop growing which gave a special touch to the lower Slavinja Valley, known as the „valley of green gold”. the area is characterized by traditional rural life and people are mainly engaged in farming. The municipality carefully manages the rich cultural, historical and natural heritage. People can visit the park, various galleries, museums, the Eco-Museum of Hop-Growing and Brewing industry. The municipality recently renovated the town center of Žalec.
The municipality is well aware of the importance of quality of life and pays attention to the importance of conscious use of energy, sustainable mobility and technological interdisciplinary systematization.
If you are interested, have a look at the Portfolio of Zalec.
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Piran is an old port town in Slovenian Istra. The town is bilingual, Italian and Slovenian. It is situated in the cape of the Piran peninsula. Piran has kept is medieval appearance with narrow streets and closely built houses, which gives it a typical Mediterranean character and special charm. On a hill above the houses is the church of Saint George with a high tower, and many paitings and artwork inside. Piran has been settled since before Roman times. In the years between 1909 and 1953, Piran was connected with Portoroz and Lucija by electric railway. Today Piran is an administrative and tourist center, which attracts both local and foreign visitors. Some of the most fascinating sites in Piran include Tartini Square, the Town Palace, the Tartini Monument, Tartini House, special stone columns for flags, the Court Palace, the May 1 Square, also known as the Old Square and the old town wall, composed of three walls from different periods in time. The Promenade is along the coast and offers many restaurants with a wide variety of local food and drinks.
If you would like to know more, have a look at the Portfolio of Piran.
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