Ingrid Machold

Over the last decades, mountains have been recognized as “sentinels of change” for climate warming trends and global change. The rising attention for local and regional action in mountain areas has therefore not only been oriented at long-standing challenges due to their specific topographical location, but increasingly fostered considerations of resilience and global sustainable development pathways. However, perspectives for mountain regions are overwhelmingly set in bleak pictures of remote and less-favoured areas that fail to catch up with more favourable lowland and central areas. This mainstream narrative is hardly beneficial to nurture emerging concepts of innovative futures and renewed visions for an increased valuation of nature-based assets of mountain regions. This paper intends to synthesize the increasing stock of inter- and trans-disciplinary studies on the complexity of "mountain" development. They argue that research issues need to be focused on a wide range of local to global levels, and underline the need for trans-disciplinary perspectives to understand the challenges for sustainable development. This also implies convincing arguments for a reinforced focus on storylines of mountain agency that regard placespecific assets and enable development strategies that harness the respective potential. This conceptual shift implies policy approaches that highlight the specificity of social-ecological systems of mountain areas and incite actors at the various administrative levels to enlarge their perspectives and raise confidence to shape place-sensitive opportunities of mountain areas.

The stimulation of integration processes is often blurred by the short-term orientation of local action and policy strategies. However, the achievement of inclusionary pathways for migrants in local community life requires a sustained commitment by local actors and the creation of meaningful perspectives for newcomers. The present chapter deepens the analysis of the narrative of long-term integration needs for the case study of Vorarlberg (Austria), which has a long experience of migration. Analyses of the past and present regional action, with material collected from interviews with local actors and migrants, are used to assess the procedural aspects of integration activities, instruments, and commitment. Language acquisition and labour integration are usually perceived as prime tasks for anchoring migrants in local communities, yet strengthening social ties requires supplementary local activities. The analysis of a mountain region pays particular attention to the long-term nature of commitment and emphasizes the social dimension of inclusionary processes.

Housing is commonly discussed as an important dimension of the social inclusion and integration of immigrants, but also as a prerequisite for staying. While challenges in urban contexts mostly affect shortages, the picture is more diverse in rural and mountain areas, including abandoned housing and vacancies, the scarce availability of rental apartments, and overpriced accommodation in light of the preference for profitable second homes or high tourism intensity. This chapter discusses the situation in three Alpine regions in Austria and Germany with diverse housing market structures. The results suggest that although housing policies differ considerably between regions, key actors must consider the changing needs of labour migrants and refugees for appropriate housing. Especially in a rural environment, aspirations to keep an apartment and improve one’s living conditions must be supported by NGOs or private actors.

Thesis 1 - 1 - Reframing remote places and remoteness as a collective resource and value for Europe

Thesis 4 - 1 - International migration to rural and mountain areas is an important but neglected phenomenon

Thesis 3 - 1 - It is time for a new rural and mountain narrative

In a period of rising concern for sustainable land management systems to achieve food security at a global scale, land-use changes demand increased attention. This study assesses the past observations and future risk calculations for land abandonment across European regions, highlighting the particular risk for mountain areas. It draws from a study commissioned by the European Parliament to investigate the situation and probability for high and very high risk of land abandonment until 2030. Revealing that land abandonment is at three times higher risk in mountain areas than in non-mountain areas, the need for action to cope with this pressure is the core result. We reveal that the high disparity in agricultural competitiveness between regions (at fine geographical scale) is the main driving force leading to the spatially uneven performance of land management. Viewing this wide set of drivers and mitigation options, land abandonment is understood as the outcome of a multitude of factors of socio-ecological systems and a combination of farm-specific, internal regional and trans-regional factors. The present dominance of narratives of effectiveness leaves little scope for mountain regions under threat of abandonment and marginalization. In this situation, policy reform would address the issue but this might turn out to be influential only if the complex nature and trade-off of the comprehensive policy framework are prioritized.