1. Visualisation tools for public participation in managing landscape change

The objectives were (1) to develop visualisation techniques to assess future landscapes; (2) to develop quantitative indicators of landscape change; (3) to provide a set of models applicable to European landscapes; (4) to test the potential to link assessments of visual qualities and production, socio-economic, ecological, cultural and amenity functions; (5) to test the effectiveness of visualisation tools in communicating the outcomes of policy and planning decisions on landscape evolution and (6) to produce educational materials and outreach schemes for professional training and the public.

http://www.visulands.com

2. Supply chains linking food SMEs in Europe?s lagging rural regions

Small food enterprises in lagging rural regions (LRRs) of the European Union must develop efficient and effective supply chains to contribute fully to the local economy and community. SUPPLIERS assessed the structure, operation, performance and competitiveness of the chains and their contribution to rural development. It identified the possibilities for improved policies, institutional structures and rural development strategies for food supply-chain integration in LRRs of the EU.

3. Stability and mitigation of arable systems in hilly landscapes

The aim was to develop an integrated system of physically-based simulation tools and to provide an indicator-based evaluation scheme for arable agriculture under sub-optimal conditions. The key objectives ware: (1) to quantify and model differentiate local water and energy balance applying micro-meteorological models (MM); (2) to integrate improved simulation routines for soil-crop models (SCM); (3) to up-scale MM using a digital terrain model (DTM) and (4) to integrate models (MM, DTM, and SCMs) via GIS.

http://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/aen...

4. Supporting and promoting integrated tourism in Europe?s lagging rural regions

SPRITE analysed and developed the potential for better integrated tourism in Europe?s lagging rural regions and assessed how tourism?s linkages with local/regional resources, activities, products and communities may be developed. It analysed integrated tourism by surveying tourists, businesses, communities and institutional structures in 12 study regions, producing detailed resource/activity audits and tourism value chains, and developing and operationalising decision support for integrated tourism.

5. Restructuring in marginal rural areas - The role of social capital in rural development

New patterns of diversity and diff erentiation are emerging within rural areas and peripheral, marginal regions, and localities have uneven capacities with which to face this uncertain future. This research enquired into those characteristics of marginal rural communities that build their capacity to diversify their economies, and to maintain their competitiveness and social cohesion in this context. Specifically, the research explored those dimensions of a community?s ?social capital?, which have been identified in theoretical accounts as underlying successful performance, competitiveness and cohesion.

6. The challenge of modernity for reindeer management: Integration and sustainable development in Europe?s sub-Arctic and boreal regions

RENMAN developed new tools and models of participatory research and planning in reindeer management that will facilitate integrated and sustainable use of living resources in sub-arctic/boreal Europe. The project involved rural stakeholders, via local workshops and interviews, in the process of research on topics they have helped to prioritise. The analyses focused on human interactions the quality and hygienic status of summer pastures, soils and surface waters, and the implications for animal and human health.

7. Regional development and cultural landscape change: The example of the Alps - evaluating and adjusting European Union and national policies to manage a balanced change

The objective was to investigate the interrelation between regional development and cultural (i.e. man made) landscape change. In a future orientated approach, the team proposed improvements and adjustments to policies at EU and national level.

http://www.regalp.at

8. Rural employment and agricultural perspective in the Balkan Applicant Countries

The project focused on the development perspectives within rural regions of Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, and Slovenia. The main objective was to assess the implications for inter-sectoral rural employment patterns of policy changes at the domestic and EU level. The study concentrated on the analysis of three main aspects: rurality, employment and agriculture within a medium-term perspective. The impacts of the possible scenarios on intrasectoral employment were assessed in each region.

http://www.reapbalk.unian.it

9. Opportunities for and barriers to tourism-led integrated rural development in rural regions of selected Member States

The project undertook an integrated review of the range of approaches to the development of rural tourism in selected EU and CEE states to identify perceived opportunities and actual barriers to the development of rural tourism. Based upon an analysis of these findings, it formulated approaches which enable tourism developments to be integrated into general regional development strategies focusing in particular upon the situation of the ?new democracies? of the Accession states with specific reference to Bulgaria and Romania.

http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/service_...

10. The future of olive plantation systems on sloping and mountainous land: Scenarios for production and natural resource conservation

The project developed future scenarios for these olive production systems on sloping and mountainous land of Southern Europe with end users, and achieved recommendations for land users and policy-makers. The project had six work packages focusing on inventory, land and water resources, improved production systems, socio-economics and policies, scenarios and end user recommendations.

http://www.olivero.info

11. Urban pressure on rural areas: Mutations and dynamics of periurban rural processes

Periurbanisation, from the rural point of view, is an important question, which has been studied from the urban point of view only, and not on a European scale. It questions economic and social mutations within these rural areas under urban pressure. It also raises the problem of the future of agriculture and competition for land. The research characterised the dynamics involved, first of all by describing the existing forms of periurbanisation and, secondly, by carrying out comparative analysis on the urban processes at work and rural proper dynamics.

12. Tools for evaluating investment in the Mediterranean mountain areas - An integrated framework for sustainable development

The objectives of the project were (1) to develop an integrated methodological framework spatially referenced to support ex-ante and ex-post investment evaluation, and to monitor decisions for sustainable development of the mountainous Mediterranean areas and (2) to develop ex-ante and ex-post evaluation tools (indicators) at different spatial scales to support investment decisions for the sustainable development of the mountainous Mediterranean areas.

http://www.maich.gr/medmont/

13. The role of small and medium-sized towns in rural development

This project measured the economic linkages between small and medium-sized towns and the surrounding countryside in order to assess their present and potential role as growth poles in rural development. The methodology also provided an indication of the local employment and income impact of different types of economic activity in these towns and their surrounding hinterland. By studying a suitable sample of towns within different types of rural area and across a range of conditions in the existing and enlarged European Union, it provided soundly based advice to policy-makers at EU, national and regional levels who are seeking to foster sustainable rural development.

14. Innovative models of critical key indicators as planning and decision support for sustainable rural development and inegrated cross-border regional management in former Iron Curtain areas based on north to south European reference studies

The overall objective was to provide territorial competitiveness for rural areas with direct implications for employment and conditions in rural and other relevant areas, and a reduction in the vulnerability of the relevant sectors. Diversification, response to societal demands for sound environmental practices and the production of renewable resources will add to sustainable development. Six trans-national reference areas along the former Iron Curtain served for testing and validation representing highly contrasting areas in Europe in terms of integration and demand.

http://www.ironcurtainproject.com

15. Implementation of sustainable agriculture and rural development in Alpine mountains

The aim was to develop tools and methods to implement local projects targeting sustainable agriculture and rural development. At farm level, to design and set up new farming systems meeting local requirements in terms of new products, agritourism, services and environmental packages. At the level of the collective farmers? organisation, the reinforcement of organisations concerning local products, marketing, work etc. At local level, establishment of new partnerships between agriculture, communities and local societies in view of new economic targets such as tourism, or environmental targets such as land management and water quality.

http://www.alpes-du-nord.com

16. Integrated development of agricultural and rural institutions

The objectives of the project were: (1) to support policy-making for sustainable rural development in Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) through the development of alternative frameworks of analysis appropriate to the transitional context, embracing institutional change and learning, innovation and competitiveness; (2) to strengthen the research capacity among CEEC personnel in the investigation of rural development and (3) to build a collaborative research capacity between EU partners in the investigation of sustainable rural development and institutional change.

http://www.idari.ie

17. Evaluating current European agri-environment schemes to quantify and improve nature conservation efforts in agricultural landscapes

The primary objective of this project was to evaluate a selection of agri-environment schemes with respect to their effects on biodiversity conservation in five European countries. Furthermore, EASY aimed to determine the primary processes and environmental factors that influence the effectiveness of schemes. It aimed to place the ecological effects into an economic framework by investigating the impacts of the studied agrienvironment schemes on the farming system. Furthermore EASY aimed to determine how CAP may be introduced in Hungary without unacceptable loss of biodiversity.

http://www.dow.wau.nl/natcons/np/EASY/

18. Aspatial peripherality, innovation and the rural economy

Aspatial peripherality (AsP) is a term describing a range of processes, which increasingly compound or distort the effects of physical remoteness. Distance constraints on regional, economic and social development are diminishing, yet the benefits may be either enhanced or masked by a range of essentially non-geographic processes. These include the utilisation of information society technology, and the density and efficiency of networks linking local business, development agencies and global sources of information or markets. This project systematically explored the economic and social processes that cause AsP, developed methodologies for measuring it, and created tools whereby policy makers and the business community may seek to minimise its impact.

http://http:\www1.sac.ac.ukAsPIRE

19. Defi nition of a common European analytical framework for the development of local agri-environmental programmes for biodiversity and landscape conservation

The main objective was to define a common European analytical framework for the development of local agrienvironmental programmes. The analysis of impacts exerted by local agricultural systems on the environmental functions performance related to biodiversity and landscape conservation has been designed and implemented in 15 study areas. The second phase of the project has resulted in a methodology to connect science and policy in order to develop agri-environmental measures.

20. Tools for integrated regional and business development

The full title of the project illustrates the wide approach chosen. By promotion of hardwood species (birch, oak, alder, beech etc.) in forestry environmental aspects (biodiversity, outdoor life) are provided for. The amount of hardwood timber available will increase which is essential for hardwood business (processing, production of hardwood products). By promotion of hardwood business, especially in SMEs, rural development will be emphasised.

http://www.advantagehardwood.org