“Nature parks strengthen rural territories: such is the paradigm widely heard with regard to nature parks and regional development. The present report “Nature Parks and Regional Sustainable Development” seeks to identify further the factors which enable nature parks to contribute to regional development while equally taking into account aspects of society, the protection of nature and the landscapes.

Thus 32 experts from different countries (Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary and Switzerland) have looked into these questions. Thanks to a scientific analysis it is possible to define the effects of nature parks on local economies and identify the results obtained by the implementation of different actions.

26 projects stemming from nature parks in Austria and other countries present examples of successful regional development in nature parks. The themes under scrutiny range from the enhancement of landscapes through local produce, sustainable mobility and visitor management to environmental education and other innovative concepts and projects.