Sustainable development of alpine open spaces by enhancing spatial planning governance

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Near-natural open spaces are the basis of human well-being, biodiversity and the livelihood of future generations (i.e. all spaces outside of settlements free from modern technical development, extensive traffic, noise). These essential spaces are decreasing in the Alps due to raising human impact and landscape fragmentation. To maintain these open spaces, coherent transnational cooperation of spatial planning in the Alpine Space (AS) is highly necessary to avoid a race to the bottom regarding minimum standards. This fits the EU-goal of an alpswide network of near-natural areas as part of the EUStrategy on Green Infrastructure (GI) and the EU Urban Agenda. OpenSpaceAlps fosters sustainable development in the core AS and the EUSALP area by maintaining open spaces as part of the alpine GI. We strengthen the transnational multi-level spatial governance by improving the capacities of spatial planners e.g. integrating sectoral planning (e.g.nature conservation) and other stakeholders, through the exchange on approaches for open space maintenance. We interlink spatial planning strategies in local and 2 transnational pilot areas and draw conclusions for improving spatial governance at regional, national and transnational levels. Main outputs: - Alpine Open Spaces Planning Handbook as a tool for spatial planners on how to better incorporate open spaces in land use decision making. - Basic visualization (i.e. map) for alpswide spatial planning provides a first tool going beyond the regional and national planning tools for better multi-level transnational spatial governance. - Strategic recommendations for more efficient coordination of maintaining open spaces at all levels. - Establishing and institutionalizing a transnational cooperation structure for spatial planning experts, the "Alpplan Network". Beneficiaries: public administrations in charge of spatial and sectoral planning, non-state actors, associations and policy makers.

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