ID77: UNESCO MAB World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves

Abstract ID 412 | Date: 2022-09-14 16:15 – 16:30 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Pons, Marc (1); Font, Marc (1); Riba, Sergi (2); Galabert, Marc (3)

The Biosphere reserve framework together with the approach of Living labs of Open Innovation is presented as a very promising couple of frameworks that could help local communities to implement SDG goals with impact in order to create and develop more sustainable and resilient communities. The Biosphere Reserve of Ordino, a mountain valley in the country of Andorra is starting to merge these two frameworks in orfer to jointly public administrations, researchers, industry and citizens takcle present and future challenges such as a more sustainable tourism, the ecological transition of the mobility and energy models or the local economic development in Mountain areas though digitalization. The presentation will show the experience in these recent years in Ordino and the future plans to scale up this framework with the ambition of being Andorra (a 100% mountain country) the firts Biosphere Reserve in the world at country scale with Innovation and Digitalisation as key drivers for ecological trasnition and sustainable development.

Abstract ID 773 | Date: 2022-09-14 16:30 – 16:45 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Fontanella Pisa, Paola (1); Schneiderbauer, Stefan (1); Boret Penmellen, Sébastien (2)

Research Topic and Problem Statement

Climate change, along with socio-economic and political pressures, represents a threat to community resilience and sustainable development processes. Due to mountains’ topography and susceptibility to climate change, and limited access to external resources and critical infrastructure, mountain communities are particularly exposed to the adverse effects of these driving forces. If not adequately addressed, these dynamics can lead to poor land-management strategies further exacerbating social vulnerability to climate-related risks. Solutions to improving mountain communities’ resilience very much depend on context-specific factors and governance models. Adaptation strategies developed in specific governance settings are not necessarily transferable to other case studies, and this represents a challenge to mainstreaming solutions and implementing international frameworks for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction.

Research Objectives and Methods

Because of their model structure and the division into core, buffer and transition areas, Biosphere Reserves represent fertile ground for transdisciplinary research on the complex dynamics that guide the management of social-ecological systems. More specifically, such research is needed when developing adaptation pathways that respond to communities’ needs in relation to their environment and land-use practices. Based on the question whether Biosphere Reserves model structure can facilitate transferability of research results and adaptation strategies, this research analyses the local governance structure of two selected UNESCO Mountain Biosphere Reserves, namely the Italian Julian Alps (Italy), registered in 2019, and Tadami (Japan), registered in 2014. The scope of the study is that of (1) identifying those implemented or planned measures contributing to enhancing community resilience to climate-related risks, (2) determining the level of engagement between the three levels of conservation (core, buffer, and transfer zone), and (3) investigate to what extent these measures are developed with the engagement of local communities and local actors. Adopted methodologies include literature review of available data and structured interviews with the representatives of the Biosphere Reserve management team for both case study areas. Results will feed into a broader research project for the co-creation of transformation knowledge into Biosphere Reserve’s adaptation pathways.

Abstract ID 405 | Date: 2022-09-14 16:45 – 17:00 | Type: Oral Presentation | Place: SOWI – Seminar room U1 |

Wyttenbach, Martin; Hochreutener, Adrian; Rupf, Reto

In the Alps, the UNESCO natural World Heritage site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (SAJA) was awarded in 2001 based on the criteria ‘exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic significance’, ‘exceptional example of ecological and biological processes in progress’ and ‘exceptional example of the main stages of the Earth’s history’. The area covers 824 km², encompasses 23 municipalities and contains 9 mountains above 4000 m a.s.l. including Eiger as one of the most famous peaks for mountaineering. According to the UNESCO, the outstanding universal values of world heritages must be preserved. In addition, SAJA’s management aims for a sustainable touristic use. Firstly, visitor monitoring provides information on the current status of recreational use. Secondly, measures related to visitors’ use should be implemented. For example, conflicts in intensively used areas should be identified and managed promptly, while in quiet and remote regions, visitor management should reveal conflict potential at an early stage so that measures can be implemented.

Due to the large area of the SAJA, several smaller focus areas were identified for the establishment of the visitor monitoring. These focus areas cover the spectrum from quiet high-altitude areas, such as alpine glaciers, to intensively used touristic areas, such as easily accessible and popular hiking areas. Methodically, focus areas were allocated to different categories based on their nature values and intensity of recreational use. Monitoring of selected indicators will provide periodically insights into the status of these focus areas in terms of recreational use. Additionally, the monitoring of key figures will deliver supplementary information on the overall development of recreational and touristic use in the whole SAJA region.

Based on the systematic visitor monitoring, administration of the SAJA will introduce a comprehensive visitor management within the next years. The concept, which will be developed participatory, will set goals for the development or the conservation of the areas based on their nature values and sensitivity to human disturbance.

This approach allows managers of large areas to address the needs for visitor monitoring and management stepwise and gain therefore knowledge for effective and accepted measures to enable valuable experiences in nature while conserving outstanding universal values at the same time.