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eco.mont 18 No. 1Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
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Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften Austrian Academy of Sciences Press
A-1011 Wien, Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2
Tel. +43-1-515 81/DW 3420, Fax +43-1-515 81/DW 3400 https://verlag.oeaw.ac.at, e-mail: verlag@oeaw.ac.at |
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DATUM, UNTERSCHRIFT / DATE, SIGNATURE
BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT, WIEN (IBAN AT04 1100 0006 2280 0100, BIC BKAUATWW), DEUTSCHE BANK MÜNCHEN (IBAN DE16 7007 0024 0238 8270 00, BIC DEUTDEDBMUC)
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Eco.mont Vol.18 Nr.1, pp. 29-36, 2026/01/05
Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
Many peripherally located Alpine regions have faced decades of depopulation and infrastructure decline. In response, protected areas (PAs) such as biosphere reserves and regional nature parks are increasingly seen as instruments to integrate nature conservation and regional development. Yet public acceptance remains limited due to concerns over potential economic restrictions. This study analyses the structural conditions shaping the actions of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Mont Viso in the Cottian Alps, framing PAs as strategic corporate actors by triangulating structura-tion theory and actor-centred institutionalism. It conceptualizes territorial agency as the capacity of PAs to initiate and sustain structural transformation. Findings show that such an agency critically depends on access to legal authority and financial resources.
Keywords: biosphere reserves, sustainable economic development, endogenous regional development, territorial govern-ance, transnational collaboration, Cottian Alps, peripheral regions, case study, La Riserva della Biosfera transfrontaliera del Monviso / La Réserve de biosphère transfrontière du Mont Viso