Sustainable regional development approaches in Alpine biosphere reserves - Farmers' perceptions
Heidi Humer-Gruber, Institute for interdisciplinary mountain research, Innsbruck (AT)
Structural changes in agriculture are beginning to be felt even in remote mountain regions. The specific cultural landscapes, with their mosaic of various uses, remain in relatively good ecological condition. Generally agriculture fulfills a high variety of essential functions like the maintenance of the Alpine landscape, nature conservation and sustainable rural development. The selected biosphere reserves focus on conservation of cultural landscapes, therefore Alpine farmers as managers of the land, play an important role in the model regions for sustainable regional development. What affects the farmers' willingness to participate in the development of biosphere reserves and how does it change over time? Qualitative interviews with forty farmers in the Biosphere Reserve Salzburger Lungau und Kärntner Nockberge (AT), Biosfera Val Müstair (CH) and Biosphäre Entlebuch (CH) give an insight on their opinion on the obligation of agriculture, nature conservation, BSRs and why participation and cooperative approaches are essential. This research should help to identify, strengthen or complete approaches for sustainable regional development in conservation sites in the Alps. Generally, the BSR as shared platform for participatory concepts of various stakeholder groups for sustainable regional development is highly accepted and appreciated by the stakeholder group of farmers, once it's acknowledged as a long and slow process, which calls for numerous dialogues and relying on open minds amenable for mutual understanding.