From small businesses to digital infrastructure and protective forests – expertise for sustainable mountain development
At the International Mountain Conference IMC 2025, which took place in Innsbruck from September 14 to 18, 2025, key issues for the future relating to the sustainable development of mountain regions were once again discussed. Scientists from various disciplines presented their research findings and highlighted the role that socio-economic diversity, digital infrastructure, and ecological protection measures play in the resilience of alpine regions.
Ingrid Machold and her team organized the Focus Session Mountain diversities for shared innovative solutions: The role of SMEs for sustainable and resilient development in mountain rural areas. The session impressively highlighted the diversity of small businesses in mountain regions and their significant contribution to strengthening regional development and socio-economic resilience. Daria Ernst, Ingrid Machold, and Karin Schroll in particular used the example of the Nock region in Upper Carinthia to show that small rural businesses (SRBs), which account for 99% of all businesses, form the economic backbone of the region. Despite this essential role, they often remain underrepresented in political decision-making processes. The analysis conducted as part of the HEU project RUSTIK highlighted how crucial it is to increase the visibility of these businesses and strengthen their role in regional development in order to promote sustainable mountain communities in the long term.
Erika Quendler and Florian Stender addressed the digital dimension of mountain region development. They presented two papers on digital infrastructure in Austria's mountain regions. Their presentations highlight where gaps in digital infrastructure exist. In remote areas in particular, the lack of broadband connections is increasingly becoming a competitive disadvantage. Targeted strategies for better internet access are therefore crucial for connecting agricultural and forestry businesses to markets, data, innovations, and educational opportunities—and for making rural areas fit for the future.
Another contribution came from Oliver Tamme, Theresia Oedl-Wieser, Georg Wiesinger, and Heidelinde Grüneis. In their study, they examined the factors that enable and limit the effectiveness of protective forests. Qualitative interviews in four Alpine case study regions show how crucial protective forests are for defending against natural hazards such as avalanches, mudslides, and rockfalls—and what challenges are associated with their conservation. In addition to structural aspects such as ownership structures and professionalism in forest management, social capital is also a decisive factor: trust, cooperation, and the transfer of expertise into everyday practical contexts prove to be key to the long-term protection of mountain populations.
These contributions at the IMC 2025 have made it clear that sustainable development in alpine regions can only succeed through the interaction of economy, society, and environment—and that innovative approaches are needed in all areas to meet the diverse challenges of global change.
