Open Spaces in the European Alps—GIS-Based Analysis and Implications for Spatial Planning from a Transnational Perspective

Hubert Job (), Constantin Meyer, Oriana Coronado, Simon Koblar, Peter Laner, Andrea Omizzolo, Guido Plassmann, Walter Riedler, Philipp Vesely and Arthur Schindelegger
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Hubert Job: Chair of Geography and Regional Science, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, 97074 Wurzburg, Germany
Constantin Meyer: Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association (ARL), 30179 Hannover, Germany
Oriana Coronado: ALPARC—The Alpine Network of Protected Areas, 73000 Chambery, France
Simon Koblar: Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS), 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Peter Laner: Eurac Research, Institute for Regional Development, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Andrea Omizzolo: Eurac Research, Institute for Regional Development, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Guido Plassmann: ALPARC—The Alpine Network of Protected Areas, 73000 Chambery, France
Walter Riedler: Salzburg Institute for Regional Planning and Housing (SIR), 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Philipp Vesely: Salzburg Institute for Regional Planning and Housing (SIR), 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Arthur Schindelegger: Research Unit Land Policy and Land Management, TU Wien, 1040 Vienna, Austria

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: This article presents an open space concept of areas that are kept permanently free from buildings, technical infrastructure, and soil sealing. In the European Alps, space is scarce because of the topography; conflicts often arise between competing land uses such as permanent settlements and commercial activity. However, the presence of open spaces is important for carbon sequestration and the prevention of natural hazards, especially given climate change. A GIS-based analysis was conducted to identify an alpine-wide inventory of large-scale near-natural areas, or simply stated, open spaces. The method used identified the degree of infrastructure development for natural landscape units. Within the Alpine Convention perimeter, near-natural areas (with a degree of infrastructural development of up to 20%) account for a share of 51.5%. Only 14.5% of those areas are highly protected and are mostly located in high altitudes of over 1500 m or 2000 m above sea level. We advocate that the remaining Alpine open spaces must be preserved through the delimitation of more effective protection mechanisms, and green corridors should be safeguarded through spatial planning. To enhance the ecological connectivity of open spaces, there is the need for tailored spatial and sectoral planning strategies to prevent further landscape fragmentation and to coordinate new forms of land use for renewable energy production.

Keywords: Alps; conservation; connectivity; fragmentation; GIS-analysis; land use; open spaces; protected areas; sectoral planning; spatial planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:9:p:1605-:d:918610

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