Tackling jointly the challenges of rural development and biodiversity conservation in protected areas
Gregor Giersch, IDC - Organisation for International Dialogue and Conflict Management, Vienna (AT)
European rural communities in protected areas are facing a complex set of challenges. While demographic changes, agricultural concentration processes and globalized markets lead to enormous economic pressure for farmers in small rural structures, the intensification of the agricultural sector puts under threat the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems. By referring to three examples, this presentation discusses how collaborative approaches can help in finding a sustainable way of environmental governance that allows to effectively combine economic interests with environmental concerns.