eco.mont – Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, Vol. 11 / No. 2

Managing large ungulates in the territory of national parks requires comprehensive knowledge of many factors (population parameters, the distribution of animals and the number of their habitats, their feeding grounds, the intensity and direction of their migration), and skill in responding to the effects of negative chance events. A large number of the factors are by nature stochastic; thus, from a programming perspective, the issue of managing ungulate populations is difficult to formulate as an algorithm. This paper presents a model built using artificial neural networks (ANN). The results obtained with this model show that it is possible to maintain the population in a park without the necessity for culling within its boundaries. The study also demonstrated that culling specifically of hinds in these areas should be increased. The research presents alternative culling strategies for red deer populations in protected areas.

Keywords: natural regulation, Cervus elsphus, hunting, protected area, artificial neural network

Peri-urban protected areas such as the UNESCO Wienerwald Biosphere Reserve (WWBR) offer important recreational opportunities. However, access has been shown to be restricted for certain groups, and immigrants from non-western countries especially are found to be under-represented as user groups. This paper presents research findings from a transdisciplinary pilot study undertaken in Vienna and Lower Austria investigating the importance of the WWBR in the leisure lives of immigrants (focusing on Turkish and Chinese immigrants), and barriers that hinder people from using the WWBR. A qualitative research design was adopted, and in total 80 interviews (40 from each community) were obtained. Results show a strong appreciation for natural areas and a high awareness among all participants of the positive impacts for health and well-being. The social environment has a strong influence on outdoor recreation participation, and ethnic-cultural and community-related aspects affecting access were identified. The study shows that planning authorities face challenges in providing adequate information, especially concerning access and on-site use. Gatekeepers are needed to remove access barriers based on fears and insecurities. Other challenges for planning authorities are also addressed, and recommendations for managerial action are presented.

Keywords: accessibility, outdoor recreation participation, immigrant communities, qualitative research methods, Biosphere Park, ethnicity

This article addresses the degree of sustainability generated by trail races in the development of the territory in protected mountain areas, focusing on the extent of the protection of natural areas and on the kinds of entities that organize these events. It is based on the feedback from 95 questionnaires completed by a sample of organizers of trail-race events held within 26 protected mountain areas in Catalonia in 2015. Analysis allowed us to identify those trail races with the most exemplary practices. No differences in the degree of sustainable development were found with regard to the degree of protection of natural areas. Profit-making organizations generate a greater degree of sustainability where development of the territory is concerned than do non-profit entities. The study provides protected mountain area managers and trail-race managers with an instrument with which to diagnose the impact that such races have on the land.

Keywords: Keywords: trail running, sustainability, impact, event management, Sport

Various mountainous areas in the world are noted for their floristic diversity and the presence of endemic plants. However, no serious studies on the management of flora tourism in areas that have a serious potential for flora tourism have previously been conducted. The present study focuses on analysing the potential for flora tourism within the context of sustainable alternative tourism. In this context, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method facilitates decision-making, and allows the consistency of assessment criteria to be measured and their degrees of significance to be determined. Nine main assessment criteria were identified (endemic-rare plant count, conservation and scientific value, floristic diversity, vegetation diversity, aesthetic plant communities, seasonal attractiveness, accessibility for visits, diversity of utilizable plants, services provided). The priority and consistency for these criteria were confirmed using AHP. Based on the results, the weight score for each criterion was converted to a percentage. The method was tested using the Kackar Mountains National Park (Turkey) as an example and the flora tourism potential of the area was calculated, resulting in an assessment scale for the sustainability of the flora in mountainous areas that could be applied easily in other areas.

Keywords: flora tourism, mountain tourism, tourism potential, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Kackar Mountains National Park

The Dolni Morava Biosphere Reserve (BR) is located in the southeast corner of the Czech Republic. Covering nearly 350 km2, the area includes sites of great natural and cultural value, and of national and international importance. Among the sites are numerous protected areas. The whole region is known for its rich folklore traditions, wine production and intensive agriculture. The Dolni Morava BR is the most recent and the smallest of the six Czech BRs, and the only one not situated completely within a National Park or Protected Landscape Area. It strives to combine various protection goals with sustainable development. In 2014, the reserve was declared a model for stakeholder-based management structure within UNESCO’s World Network of BRs.

Keywords: Biosphere Reserve, Dolni Morava, Czech Republic, BR Wienerwald, floodplain forest, participation management, cultural landscape

The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere programme has proven to be a highly efficient tool for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage and an incentive for efforts towards sustainable development at the Karst Biosphere Reserve in Slovenia. Since the Reserve was established in 2003, the Škocjan Caves Park Public Service Agency, as the managing authority, has gradually developed a system that attempts to link the scientific and research sphere to the local community, while actively involving the community in the Biosphere Reserve’s long-term management through education, awareness raising and participatory approaches. Taking into consideration the human dimension in the environment is essential for the preservation and sustainable use of the ecosystem.

Keywords: Man and Biosphere Programme, biosphere reserve management, Karst, Reka River Basin, biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage preservation, educational programmes, public participatory programmes, Sustainable development, networking

The potential benefits of integrating vernacular religious beliefs into biodiversity conservation and sustainability actions have been emphasized widely, while specific examples and the synergies between religious communities and conservationists in particular spaces deserve more attention. The manifestations of vernacular religions in territories devoted to sustainability, such as Biosphere Reserves (BRs), are a particularly rich area for study. While La Campana-Peñuelas BR has long been recognized as a territory where local religion is an important feature, greater awareness of this and of the potential link to sustainability actions is still lacking, as is awareness of the potential of the BR to become a Multi-Internationally Designated Area. Here we report on the diversity of popular religious activities within the BR. Possible synergies between popular religion and sustainability are based on the strong organizational capacities of local communities, and on an ethical vision of social justice that encompasses both human relations and attitudes towards the non-human beings within the biosphere.

Keywords: vernacular religion, Multi-Internationally Designated Areas, natural sanctuaries, Chile

Situated in Southern France, the hills of the Alpilles feature a central limestone massif and are recognized for the diversity of their habitats and landscapes, which include forest and garrigue, rocky habitats, dry grasslands, wetlands and traditional farmland. The LIFE Alpilles project (2013–2019) was developed and managed by the Alpilles Regional Natural Park. The project sought to favour 13 bird species found in this range, some of which, such as Bonelli’s Eagle and the Egyptian Vulture, are among the rarest and most threatened species in France. The project’s undertakings are focused as much on the promotion of human activities, including tourism, agriculture and livestock farming, which contribute to the presence of these species in the Park, as on the conservation of birdlife itself.

Keywords: Natura 2000, bird species, habitat management, stakeholder involvement