Analysing and mobilising regional economic potentials as a chance for rural development - Interim results of the EU-lnterreg NIB project Parks & Economy

Rural areas, which are declared as Nature or National Parks, often find themselves in a dilemma - on the one hand they are featured with unique natural conditions and landscapes, but on the other hand they are confronted with substantial problems in economic and demographic development. The Interreg IIIB project "Parks&Economy" tackles these discrepancies and aims at the appreciation of Nature Parks in rural areas and their sustainable development in natural, social and economic conditions using synergies between nature protection and the regional economy. For these purposes the project applies a common framework of methods consisting of analyses of regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), success factors, and stakeholders. Based on the results Development and Marketing Plans (DEMAP) are developed, which will be implemented in each of the eight involved project regions. The paper provides insights into the methods used and shows their application and results of three selected project regions in Hungary, Greece, and Italy. The emphasis of the paper concentrates on the methods of assessing the current status of a region and therefrom derived management plans, which can be useful for other regions interested in sustainable development in nature conservation areas as sign posts.