Safeguarding open spaces in the Alps

Mountain areas such as the European Alps feature a comparatively high degree of undeveloped open spaces, which provide important ecosystem services. However many open spaces are threatened by the continuous land take for settlements, infrastructure and tourism development and therefore increasing landscape fragmentation. The session is supposed to shed light on different approaches for the safeguarding of interconnected open space systems, which play a crucial role in ensuring ecological connectivity in the Alps. Especially the relation of nature conservation approaches (mainly protected areas) and integrated spatial planning will be highlighted. While protected areas are highly suitable to safeguard the core areas of a “green infrastructure” system, spatial planning is required to establish relevant links and corridors in more densely populated areas. Therefore, mountain research needs to better analyse the potentials for harmonising and coordinating nature conservation and spatial planning in the “Global Green Deal” context.