Orchard meadows, like they occur for example in the Regional Nature Park Massif des Bauges, can be key elements when building a coherent and well-designed Green Infrastructure (GI) network. Often located in peri urban areas, they can constitute an interesting linking element between GI elements in cities and in rural areas. The Alpine Space LUIGI project will analyse the joint benefits deriving from these ecosystems, but also other GI elements, also highlighting their potential for a sustainable economic development. Project partners will analyse value-chains for goods and services and study related business models to frame and spread financial and policy instruments supporting innovative management practices for such GI elements. Based on harmonised procedures, representative cities, metropolitan and rural areas from 6 alpine countries are covered.

Currently the projects pilot sites are identified where ecosystem services delivered by GI elements will be studied in detail, an analysis that will also serve to analyse the value chains of the services and the corresponding business models. In cooperation with EUSALP AG7 the LUIGI PP already identified a series of innovative business models for the initiative “Green Infrastructure (GI) goes Business” aiming to award a “Green Infrastructure Business Award 2020”.

ALPARC has the lead on actions aiming at capitalising on project results and dissemination knowledge and experience in a large network of stakeholders from the operative level as well as political decision makers.

Project Homepage: https://www.alpine-space.eu/projects/luigi/en/home