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Creating the MARGISTAR Vision Workshop

Participating in a Virtual Mobility last June with Dublin City University was a pivotal experience for MARGISTAR’s Irene Christoforidi in designing the MARGISTAR Vision Workshop. This workshop aims to engage stakeholders in marginalised mountainous communities across the EU, enabling them to imagine future possibilities and develop actionable strategies for overcoming marginalisation challenges. Read on to better understand the outputs of this collaboration between Greece and Ireland and the budding initiative for community transformation in marginalised mountain areas.

Empowering Women and Marginalised Groups in Serbia’s Mountains: Harnessing Natural Resources and Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Success

In the rural mountainous areas of Serbia, women face significant challenges due to traditional patriarchal norms. These norms have long marginalised women, limiting their participation in economic activities outside the household and excluding them from decision-making processes both at home and within their communities. Despite legal prohibitions against gender discrimination, women in these regions still face substantial barriers to achieving equality.

Ferlanda’s Short-Term Scientific Mission at ClimLaw: Graz: Examining Climate Change and Its Impact on Urban Development and Legal Regulation

MARGISTAR’s Ferlanda Luna participated in a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) at ClimLaw: Graz in Graz, Austria. The mission focused on interdisciplinary research into data practices and examining their multiple dimensions, and provided a platform for discussing legal concepts and regulatory frameworks for managing climate vulnerabilities. This experience involved comparative desk research on urban public policies and risk management across different countries, enriching Ferlanda’s research methodologies and understanding of diverse climate impacts. Continue reading to learn more about the mission and its effects on Ferlanda’s research.

Wild Mushrooms: A Chance for Marginalised Mountain Regions in Serbia

In Serbia, particularly in rural and mountainous regions, mushroom collection has emerged as a crucial economic activity. Nutrient-dense mushrooms, packed with proteins, vitamins, and minerals, are harvested both for personal consumption and commercial sales. This activity bolsters local economies, preserves traditional knowledge, and enhances community bonds, proving to be a valuable pursuit for many rural residents.

From Cities to Peaks: How Serbia’s Mountain and Rural Tourism is Changing for the Better

Serbia's tourism sector, traditionally focused around major cities, is increasingly highlighting its mountainous regions. These areas are becoming prominent tourism hubs due to their natural beauty and opportunities for activities such as hiking, skiing, and ecotourism. The rich natural resources in these regions support various outdoor activities, including hunting. Find out how mountain tourism, alongside spa and wellness tourism, plays a crucial role in Serbia's overall tourism development, helping diversify rural livelihoods and improve local economic conditions.

Understanding Serbia’s Unique Landscape: An Exploration of Serbia’s Mountainous Terrain and Diverse Nature

Serbia, lying at the crossroads of Central and South-eastern Europe, boasts extraordinary geographical diversity across its 88,499 km² lands. The northern province of Vojvodina features the flat expanses of the Pannonian Plain, while the central region is characterised by rolling hills and river valleys. The southern part of the country is dominated by mountain ranges, including the Dinaric Alps, Carpathian Mountains, and Balkan Mountains, with peaks exceeding 2,000 metres. Serbia’s mountainous areas are rich in natural resources and biodiversity, preserving rare and endangered species within national parks like Kopaonik, Tara, and Stara Planina. These regions, with their dense forests and unique ecosystems, not only highlight Serbia’s natural beauty, but underscore the country’s potential for sustainable tourism and organic farming.
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The SIMRA Project: Enhancing Social Innovation in Marginalised (Mountainous) Rural Areas

By Ivana Zivojinovic and Isidora Dabic (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna)  The Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas (SIMRA) project, funded by...

Living Labs: Facilitators in Fostering Innovation in Marginalised Mountain Areas

By Klaus Wagner, Ingrid Machold, and Somaye Latifi (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research (BAB), Vienna) The number of challenges that mountains...

Mountaineering Villages: An Initiative of the Austrian Alpine Association for Sustainable Mountain Tourism 

Mountain areas attract outstanding numbers of tourists. After beaches and islands, they act as the second most demanded outdoor destination for tourism activities. Where agriculture has long been the main source of income and entire areas are characterised by outmigration, tourism has sustainably improved and transformed the working and living conditions of local populations. Based on work being done in Austria, this blog shares insights into how promoting tourism activities in so-called Mountaineering Villages as a means of income diversification beyond traditional sectors can pose as an effective solution in marginalised mountain areas. 

Revitalising Marginalised Mountain Areas through Green Care 

Given the many potentials and challenges of mountainous areas, diversifying sources of income through Green Care can present sustainable opportunities for marginalised mountain communities. In Austria, expanding product portfolios in the agricultural and forestry sectors is a viable strategy of agricultural and forestry enterprises and smallholders to ensure economic sustainability.

A Deep Dive into Supporting Resilience of Mountain Farming in Austria

Mountain areas form a significant part of Austria, covering 70% of its territory and hosting 56% of all its farms. Austrian mountains, however, are also often classified as disadvantaged regions due to topographical and climatic factors. Farming in these high-elevation areas presents challenges, but also yields quality products vital for sustaining local cultures. In the face of economic challenges, policy support and off-farm activities have significantly improved living conditions for mountain farm households. Read on to better understand how policy-making can positively impact mountain farming and its role in sustaining cultural landscapes and providing employment in Austria's mountainous regions.

Celebrating Digital Innovation: The .ie Digital Town Awards

From revitalising town centres to propelling sustainability initiatives, digital technology serves as a catalyst for positive change. In support of these developments, the .ie Digital Town Awards in Ireland honour the strides made by communities across the country in embracing digital innovation. With significant investment and political support, these awards highlight the transformative power of digital in diverse spheres of life, starting from their potential to enhance connectivity to their role in revolutionising agricultural practices. As we celebrate the achievements of digital pioneers in Ireland with “.ie” - the country’s official registry of .ie domain names – we are reminded that innovation knows no bounds and inspires communities to embrace the possibilities of the digital age. 
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