| In regions with a high population density, particularly in the environments of urban areas, a high level of recreational use of natural, agricultural, and forestry land can be observed. These areas are likely to experience significant impacts due to shifts in recreational activities, which are anticipated as a consequence of climate change.
The principal aim of the research project is to determine the spatial and temporal adaptation behaviour of recreational users to high temperatures. In collaboration with local and regional stakeholders, the project will develop a basis for future action options to support agriculture, forestry, regional management and the stakeholders who are particularly affected by recreational use.
Inhabitants benefit in many ways from open and green spaces in urban-rural regions (i.e. cities and their surrounding areas). They contribute to improving well-being. In light of the challenges posed by climate change, the accessibility of these spaces is of great importance for the population’s resilience to heat stress. The positive effects of open land and forest areas should be preserved and the competing interests of agriculture, forestry and recreational use should be reconciled. To this aim, both the current and future behaviour of those seeking recreation as well as the requirements of agriculture and forestry must be taken into account in decision-making, planning and development processes. This requires the availability of reliable data on the adaptation of recreational behaviour and its impacts.
Particularly affected urban-rural regions will be selected based on an analysis of climatic and natural conditions as well as visitor numbers. A representative population survey will be conducted in these project areas. Furthermore, a basis for future options for action will be developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in participatory workshops. The project thus makes a significant contribution to securing the diverse positive effects and potential uses of natural and cultural landscapes in the vicinity of settlements in Austria in the future. By generating and disseminating knowledge, the project promotes the sustainable and intergenerational use of natural and cultural landscapes, and thus also supports the resilience of the urban-rural living and recreational space, as well as agriculture and forestry. |