Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
buffer zones, ecological networks and greenways (Jongman and Pungetti, 2004) are
increasingly gaining support (Bennett and Mulongoy, 2006; Hopkins
et al.,
2007;
Lawton, 2010). Based on the premise that landscape is the mosaic that encompasses
agriculture, ecology and settlements, these approaches have the potential to safe-
guard ecosystems and their associated processes, as well as the traditional human
practices with which these landscapes have evolved. The idea of protected land-
scapes, category V protected area designation according to the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 1994), was put forward in the early 1970s
and included many mountain areas worldwide. Other initiatives that highlight the
importance of protecting nature and culture under the umbrella of landscape have
followed, such as the European Landscape Convention (Council of Europe, 2000).
10.3.2 Response to socioeconomic changes
Mountains in the political agenda
The year 2002 was declared International Year of Mountains, and since 2003 the
11 December has been designated by the UN Assembly as 'International Moun-
tain Day', with the view to increase global awareness of the importance of moun-
tains and promote them on the political agenda through the establishment of
national committees in various countries. In addition, in Bangkok in November
2004, IUCN members approved resolution 3.039: 'The Mediterranean Mountains
Partnership:
...
calling all concerned national, regional and local institutions to de-
velop action plans for each of the major mountain ranges in the region, with the aim
of achieving the conservation of their biological, landscape and cultural diversity,
and boosting sustainable development' (Regato and Salman, 2008). These interna-
tional efforts are not always accompanied by similar efforts at the national level,
where often there is a lack of specific mountain policies.
Sustainability, the word of our times, implies a balance between economic de-
velopment and environmental protection as a major response to change (cf. Morse,
2010). In mountain environments the development of relatively new economic re-
sources such as tourism as well as the abandonment of rural communities and as-
sociated activities are perhaps the main socioeconomic challenges that need to be
addressed. In order to tackle the disadvantages associated with mountain environ-
ments, often policies are introduced at the national or international level. One of
the policy regulations heading towards that direction in the European Union is the
designation of Least Favoured Areas (LFAs). Although currently under review, this
mechanism has been in place since 1975. Recognizing the need for sustainable
land management, the LFA scheme is part of the Rural Development Policy for
2007-2013 (EC, 2005), which aims at improving the environment and the country-
side. As already discussed in this volume, agricultural activities in mountain envi-
ronments are difficult due to natural handicaps. Agricultural land abandonment as
a direct consequence of these adverse factors entails potential risks for mountain
