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Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 March 2023) | Viewed by 25452

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Annamaria Giorgi

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Guest Editor

Ge.S.Di.Mont. Research Centre, University of Milan, 25048 Edolo, BS, Italy
Interests: environment science; mountain area
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Luca Giupponi

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Guest Editor

Ge.S.Di.Mont. Research Centre, University of Milan, 25048 Edolo, BS, Italy
Interests: environment science; plants; mountain area
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mountain areas represent a natural, historical-cultural, and economic heritage of which the appropriate management is fundamental in order to promote the sustainable development of these territories and of the whole planet. This topic is an urgent challenge due to the rapid and unsettling anthropic and climatic events happening in the last several decades.

This Special Issue entitled “Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas” has the aim of gathering relevant studies about the use and valorization of mountain resources in order to foster the sustainable development of these areas, both in developed and developing countries. The relevance of the studies must go beyond academia and give practical recommendations to facilitate the sustainable development of mountain areas and the setting up of new and green development models.

We welcome papers that are related to any of the following topics:

The study of biotic and abiotic resources for their sustainable management and/or conservation;
Policies and good practices for land use and management;
Valorization of anthroposphere, including agroecosystems, infrastructures, cultural and historical heritage, and their use and valorization (i.e., through tourism);
Resilience of mountain communities and risk management;
Innovative solutions for mountain areas development, tackling the challenges of climatic change.

This Special Issue aims to provide an innovative, socially engaged, reliable source of scientific information for both researchers and stakeholders in general, as well as policymakers and land-managers, strengthening the network within the mountain community.

The Issue is open to a broad range of disciplines and will consider a broad range of contributions (original articles, reviews, opinions, and perspectives).

Prof. Dr. Annamaria Giorgi
Dr. Luca Giupponi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable development
environmental sustainability
mountain resources
mountain areas resilience
land management
nature conservation
climate change
best practices

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 9131 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Abandonment of Cropland and Seminatural Grassland in a Mountainous Traditional Agricultural Landscape in Japan

by Nobuo Imai, Hinata Otokawa, Atsumi Okamoto, Kaito Yamazaki, Takuya Tamura, Tsubasa Sakagami, Shingo Ishizaka and Hijiri Shimojima

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7742; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15107742 - 09 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1620

Abstract

The abandonment of traditional agricultural land is a global phenomenon, especially in mountainous areas. Although there are many mountainous villages where traditional agriculture, based on wild-plant mulching systems, is still practiced in Japan, the extent of land use change in these areas has not been quantitatively assessed. Economic theory predicts the systematic allocation of land to its maximum net value in response to distance from residential centres or demand. We tested this theory to determine whether: (1) grassland and cropland abandonment occurs far from residential centres and (2) new grassland becomes established near residential centres because its products (i.e., wild plants) are essential to traditional agriculture. We interviewed farmers from the traditional mountain village of Kosuge, Japan, to examine land use change at a parcel scale over the period 1940–2019. Our predictions were confirmed in that cropland and grassland were abandoned, while regrowth forests and plantations became established thereafter in the more inaccessible areas, in terms of distance from the village centre and slope aspect. Furthermore, new grassland developed near the centre of the village, leading to the ‘advance’ of grassland into the residential centre. Our results indicate that spatiotemporal patterns of land use change in traditional agricultural landscapes can be predicted and used to inform policies designed to sustainably maintain these landscapes and their ecosystem function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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20 pages, 2660 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional Characterization and Novel Use of “Copafam” Bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) for the Sustainable Development of Mountains Areas

by Davide Pedrali, Cristina Proserpio, Sara Margherita Borgonovi, Marco Zuccolo, Valeria Leoni, Gigliola Borgonovo, Alessia Maria Bernardi, Alessio Scarafoni, Ella Pagliarini, Annamaria Giorgi and Luca Giupponi

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13409; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142013409 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1415

Abstract

Agrobiodiversity conservation includes strategies and actions to be taken to prevent landrace loss, a worldwide problem. Landraces are local varieties that have agricultural, cultural, and historical value but most of these are not studied yet. This research aimed to study the nutritional and phytochemical characteristics of the “Copafam” bean. In addition, the sensory properties and consumers’ hedonic ratings in a model food formulation (biscuits) made by this landrace have been examined. The results show that “Copafam” had a high dietary fiber content (34.83 ± 2.48 g/100 g dw) and it resulted in a great source of secondary metabolites as polyphenols (121.36 ± 5.31 mg GAE/g dw), flavonoids (6.51 ± 0.17 mg/kg dw), and anthocyanins (28.11 ± 0.16 mg Cy3 G/kg dw), having remarkable antioxidant activity too. Biscuits made from “Copafam” bean flour were characterized by a darker color and crunchy texture, and it was considered acceptable by consumers. All these characteristics make it a resource of great interest for innovative forms of consumption like fortified foods. This research showed that landraces can represent a great resource for an innovative food industry aiming to preserve agrobiodiversity and promote the sustainable development of mountain areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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22 pages, 10205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Conservation and Management of a 20th-Century Landscape in the Alps: The Former Sanatorium Village of Sondalo

by Davide Del Curto, Andrea Garzulino, Giacomo Menini and Carlo Schiesaro

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7424; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14127424 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1575

Abstract

This article discusses how to sustainably manage and protect the Alpine landscape from the risk of extreme weather events due to climate change. The authors present the results achieved by applying the Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) method in the case of a large terraced healing park built in the Central Alps in the 1930s and damaged in 2018 by the effects of Storm Adrian (also known as Vaia). We thoroughly analysed the state of preservation through historical documentation, aerial shooting with a drone, a tree-by-tree evaluation, and a GIS platform for integrated information management. Such a CMP approach is usually applied to assess the state of decay and plan for the sustainable conservation of historic buildings and gardens. The method of analysis and the performed activities allowed us to evaluate the park’s landscape values and identify the elements of risk, leading to the drafting of a monitoring map and guidelines of intervention. This experience made it possible to test its effectiveness in protecting the Alpine landscape and its specific fragility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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16 pages, 2881 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Endemic Plants Can Be Resources for Mountain Agro-Ecosystems: The Case of Sanguisorba dodecandra Moretti

by Luca Giupponi, Valeria Leoni, Carla Gianoncelli, Alberto Tamburini and Annamaria Giorgi

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6825; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14116825 - 02 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1789

Abstract

Sanguisorba dodecandra Moretti is an endemic plant of the Alps of the Lombardy region (Northern Italy). Differently from most endemic species, this plant grows in diverse environments, and it is often very abundant and a distinctive element of some mountain and sub-alpine agro-ecosystems. The ecological features and the role of this species in some mountain agricultural activities are poorly investigated. This article shows the results of a synecological analysis of S. dodecandra and the evaluation of its functional strategy. Furthermore, its forage value was investigated and melissopalynological analysis was used to characterize the honey produced in an area where this species grows. The ecological analysis defined this plant as euriecious and ruderal/competitive-ruderal strategist. Bromatological analysis showed a good forage value, confirming the ethnobotanical knowledge concerning this species. In fact, it has good protein content (12.92 ± 1.89%) and non-fiber carbohydrates (47.12 ± 3.62%) in pre-flowering. S. dodecandra pollen was identified as a “frequent pollen” in the honey, showing that this plant is attractive to honeybees. This research allowed a deeper knowledge of S. dodecandra ecology and showed that this species is a resource for traditional and sustainable agricultural activities of the Lombardy Alps such as pastoralism and beekeeping. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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16 pages, 2289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Importance of Technical Support in the Return of Traditional Crops in the Alps: The Case of Rye in Camonica Valley

by Valeria Leoni, Davide Pedrali, Marco Zuccolo, Alessia Rodari, Luca Giupponi and Annamaria Giorgi

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13818; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132413818 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2057

Abstract

Multifunctional agriculture could be strategic for the recovery of some mountain areas of the Alps, and traditional crops like cereals generated study cases that triggered processes of development, such as rye in Camonica Valley (Northern Italy). However, farmers are often newcomers, and the specificities of low input agriculture make the training in agriculture fundamental. The impact of public workshops/seminars (organized by the Ge.S.Di.Mont. Research Centre of the University of Milan in Camonica Valley) on cereal cultivation between 2016 and 2021 was investigated. Moreover, rye produced in Camonica Valley was analyzed. The results show an increase in participation and a wider use of the streaming service. The percentage of participants not from an agricultural background had always remained about 50%, but decreased to 15.17% ± 5.07 in 2021, in contrast to the increase of professionals in agriculture and forestry. This is probably due to the accreditation of training activities for agronomists and foresters, and to the start of specific training projects regarding cereals. Samples of rye produced in Camonica Valley following the period of training activities were phytochemically/nutritionally characterized and compared to commercial rye. Locally produced rye proved to be comparable to the commercial one; however it showed a remarkable unevenness in secondary metabolite content and productivity, due to environmental differences and diverse agro-techniques. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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18 pages, 2000 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Rethinking Terraces and Dry-Stone Walls in the Alps for Sustainable Development: The Case of Mombarone/Alto Eporediese in Piedmont Region (Italy)

by Maria Anna Bertolino and Federica Corrado

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 12122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132112122 - 03 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2067

Abstract

Nowadays, agricultural terraces and dry-stone walls have become protagonists of a territorial “rebirth” through a process of resemantization that recognizes them as a local resource. In relation to this focus, this article deals with a specific case study located in the Mombarone/Alto Eporediese area, in the northern part of the Piedmont Region (Italy), where terraced landscapes represent a unique environmental heritage, which has been partially abandoned. In this article, we illustrate the process carried out by local institutions in the Strategic Plan “Dalla Dora al Mombarone” and by the European Project Interreg Alcotra “Vi.A.- Route of Alpine Vineyards” which have involved many stakeholders of the local communities. In particular, starting from the results obtained by the engagement of social and territorial scientists in the projects mentioned above, we examined how terraces can support the reconstruction of a specific sense of place by the local community and the implementation of a sustainable development model through innovative solutions that go beyond the tradition in a frame of a green, soft and inclusive economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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23 pages, 2221 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis between the Role of Local Communities in Regional Development inside Japanese and Russian UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserves: Case Studies of Mount Hakusan and Katunskiy Biosphere Reserves

by Aida Mammadova, Christopher D. Smith and Tatiana Yashina

Sustainability 2021, 13(18), 10422; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su131810422 - 18 Sep 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2447

Abstract

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization has designated the Man and Biosphere Program to foster a better relationship between the environment and people. The topic of this study is to elucidate the role of local communities in the regional development of Biosphere Reserves with a focus on management roles (top-down or participatory) and the motivational drivers of the people involved (ecocentric or anthropocentric). Based on qualitative interviews taken from the two case studies of the Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve in Japan and the Katunskiy Biosphere Reserve in Russia, a comparative analysis was conducted to explore the differences between the engagement of locals in the management of their biosphere reserves. This analysis examined relationships between the government and the local communities, the attitudes of the locals towards the biosphere reserves, and the historical perception on nature protection for each community. The findings showed that Russian biosphere reserves are mainly managed by local people who live inside the protected area while Japanese biosphere reserves are governed by local authorities and administration offices. This allows the Russian communities to have greater access to management processes, and therefore play a larger role in regional development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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22 pages, 5817 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Definition of an Operative Methodology for the Management of Rockfalls along with the Road Network

by Daniele Giordan, Martina Cignetti, Danilo Godone, Davide Bertolo and Marco Paganone

Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7669; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13147669 - 09 Jul 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2220

Abstract

Rockfalls are widespread events in mountain areas worldwide. The management of this process can be done using different approaches. In this paper, we want to analyze the procedure that can be adopted to manage a rockfall event considering the safety of infrastructure and settlements. Focusing on an Alpine region highly affected by rockfalls like the Aosta Valley Region (north-western Italy), we implemented a dedicated procedure for the road network emergency management. This procedure can be activated immediately after a rockfall, and it aims to identify the effect of the collapse, define the danger zone, plan the recovery project and propose temporary solutions for correct residual risk management until the end of the remedial works. In natural hazards, the lack of codified methods can create critical conditions and increase the responsibility of the single operators, who have to effectively manage a critical situation in a limited amount of time without a well-defined procedure. For this reason, the proposed method aims to be a first example of how a correct codification can be used for more sustainable management of this widespread phenomenon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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19 pages, 3750 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparing Wild and Cultivated Arnica montana L. from the Italian Alps to Explore the Possibility of Sustainable Production Using Local Seeds

by Valeria Leoni, Gigliola Borgonovo, Luca Giupponi, Angela Bassoli, Davide Pedrali, Marco Zuccolo, Alessia Rodari and Annamaria Giorgi

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3382; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13063382 - 18 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3298

Abstract

Arnica montana L. is an alpine herbaceous plant typical of nutrient-poor grasslands. It is a popular medicinal plant for the treatment of bruises, cuts and pain, and it is also an endangered alpine species. For this reason, the sustainable production of inflorescences instead of the spontaneous collection of plant material, coupled with the use of local ecotypes, should be incentivized. Inflorescences of a wild accession of arnica were compared versus an accession cultivated in Valsaviore (Italian Alps) in terms of seed germination performance and phytochemical characterization by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The germination percentage was high (>75%) for both cultivated and wild seeds. The NMR spectra of arnica extracts were very similar and confirmed the presence of sesquiterpene compounds, esters of helenaline and dehydroelenaline. A significant high percentage of acetic acid methyl ester (38 μg/g) and the 2-methyl methyl ester of propanoic acid (31 μg/g) were found in cultivated arnica and were probably associated with fermentation processes linked to the traditional method of air drying on a trellis. The possibility of growing A. montana and a controlled local first transformation are important to incentivize local, good quality and sustainable production. The growing of seedlings “in loco” could be of great interest both for farmers and for natural conservation purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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17 pages, 611 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumers’ Attitudes for Sustainable Mountain Cheese

by Chiara Mazzocchi, Luigi Orsi and Guido Sali

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1743; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13041743 - 05 Feb 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3512

Abstract

The shift towards more sustainable consumptions and habits have had tangible impacts on food markets, which have accepted this challenge by offering a variety of certification systems to pull consumers aside. However, food purchasing choices are also guided by ethical, environmental and cultural motivations, functioning as drivers of food acquiring. This study aimed at assessing the influence of consumers’ attitudes in purchasing an Alpine cheese labelled with a food sustainability logo, as the mountain product brand, following a two-step approach. We estimated the consumers’ preferences for some sustainable labels by using Choice Experiments (CE), followed by a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to assess the influence of three attitudinal scales on the consumers’ behavior. The main results show the influence of green consumers’ values on the mountain product brand choice, and a strong relationship between green consumers’ and animal well-being values. In the conclusions, some policy indications are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas)

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