A Sustainable Development Model for Green Mountain Areas
Mountain territories are important ecosystems exposed to a series of risks and threats: abandonment, use of inappropriate development models, lack of an integrated sustainable approach, loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems. To meet these challenges a transnational project team consisting of 11 organisations from 9 countries will develop and transfer a Sustainable Development and Management Model which can provide an integrated strategy to enhance the preservation and valorisation of mountain areas. Common work around 3 thematic areas will take place: a) identification of economic activities compatible with sustainable development of mountain territories; b) development of coordinated and integrated policies/management plans; c) methods and strategies for information, training and awareness raising. 4 action phases will be implemented to guarantee concrete results which can be transferred to each partner/territory and beyond: 1) Exchange of information, experiences and the identification of European good practices; 2) Development of a Sustainable Development and Management Model through 3 Working Groups; 3) The drawing up of Management Plans and carrying out of territorial concertation involving decision-makers and economic actors, and; 4) Test & transfer of the Model/Management Plans through e.g. mainstreaming workshops, pilot actions and awareness raising targeting decision-makers, economic actors and the public in general. This will result in a better capacity of decision-makers to coordinate and manage sensitive areas, improved capabilities of economic actors to invest in appropriate economic sectors, public participation through improved awareness of the natural value of the territory and ultimately, territories with enhanced biodiversity and valorisation of natural resources. The project outputs consists, amongst others, of the integrated Sustainable Development and Management Model, 9 Management Plans, an Online Platform and a Mountain Network.