The “Valley Economy” Model of Regional Development: A Case Study of Mountain Areas in Beijing, Northern China

A case study is presented of a regional development model for valley economies in the mountain areas of Beijing, China. The nature and framework of the valley economy model are described and the development of the model, which is specific to the mountain areas of Beijing, is analyzed. Five different valley economy models applied in the Beijing mountain areas are compared. The major purpose of the valley economy model is to develop the regional economy, including the selection of appropriate industries, the allocation of industrial space, the establishment of supply chains and the integration of various industries. Pilot experiments using the valley economy model have been conducted in seven counties(districts) in Beijing: Pinggu, Huairou, Changping, Mentougou, and Fangshan districts, and Yanqing and Miyun counties. Five models for developing the Beijing mountain areas have been explored, including: creative cultural industries, characteristic industry clusters, the promotion of large tourist areas, natural scenic tourism and folk cultural tourism. Each model has its own unique features and potential to help in the regional development of mountain areas.

Development pattern of the industry form in mountains area:a case study of the Three Gorges Reservoir area

The mountainous areas （mountain, plateau and hilly area ） cover than 85% of total land territory of China.Nature and humanity in very mountainous ares has its own geographic characteristics.In the process of industrialization and urbanization in China, realizing the sustainable development of the mouniainous areas, optimizing man-land system, and adopting and continuously developing corresponding economic modes of the mountainous areas with multi-functions of economy, ecalogy, culture and society to chararacterize production content, mode of production. mode of operation is not only helpful to econonty, society and ecological value and is of great aesthetic value,but also solve the technological problems of the subject of starting undertaking to finally transform the regional resource advantage of the mountainous area into the advantage of capital and technology for economic development and to get rid of the contradiction between underdeveloped economy and abundant resources. This paper takes the Three Gorges Reservoir（TGR） area for example to show that it＇s of great practical and theoretical significance ,regional distribution,variety structure and quality structure.

Tourism versus nature conservation: reconciliation of common interests and objectives——an analysis through Picos de Europa National Park

Nature tourism and particularly tourism in national parks have acquired significant importance in contemporary societies. Post-Fordist consumers have reevaluated the meanings of ‘nature' and ‘natural spaces' and now avoid standardization to seek singularity. Tourism in national parks is a consequence of this tendency and has both positive and negative aspects. The purpose of this sociological research is to describe the most relevant conflicts in the Picos de Europa National Park(Spain) involving the park's conservation, local economic development,and tourism. Seven in-depth interviews and three focus groups were addressed to key local stakeholders.In this research were identified three chief areas of existing or potential inter-related conflicts and the main actors interacting with them. The first is on population, particularly, the negative consequences of depopulations on the local socio-economic development and the environment. A second source of conflicts identified is caused by the difficult conciliation between commercial exploitation and conservation of the protected natural area. More precisely, this specific form of tourism positively contributes to the economy of local communities whilst problems can arise for the conservation goals of National Parks. Thirdly, in this research is also analyzed the institutional governance and the inter and intra-governmental conflicts as well as with the Park's management body. These findings provide important information for the improved management of tourism and conflicting interests in natural parks.

Winter is coming for ski resorts: Insights from the Apennines (Italy)

Ski resort abandonment is more frequent due to global warming,which progressively reduces snowpack and persistence.However,projects aiming for new resorts in the Apennines have proliferated.Such economic investments are risky,especially without long-term data on snow cover duration.Our aim,thus,is to provide the first census of abandoned ski resorts in the Apennines and compare them with the resorts currently open to understand the causes that led to their abandonment.Subsequently,we explore factors behind resort failure by analyzing the relationships between climatic,geomorphological,and economic variables.Overall,we found 101 ski resorts in the Apennines,of which 28 were open,41 closed and abandoned and 32 partially closed(i.e.,closed in more than at least 7 years in the last 10 years).The closed and partially closed resorts represent 358 km of ski slopes(44%of total available).The number of structures per resort(i.e.ski lifts,chair lifts)is higher for open compared to partially closed and closed ones.Notably,the maximum elevation reached by the resorts is higher for those open(1793 m a.s.l.)than for those partially closed(1687 m a.s.l.)and especially those closed(1577 m a.s.l.).Finally,the mean size of the resorts in terms of skiable track length is larger for open(15.7 km)than partially closed(7.1 km)and closed resorts(3.2 km).The average duration of operation for abandoned resorts is 29.5 years,varying from a maximum of 56 years to a minimum of 0 years for two sites that were never opened after reconstruction.The year of abandonment is positively associated with the maximum elevation,size,and duration of operation.Furthermore,the duration of operation is negatively correlated with the construction year.Our multivariate analysis confirms and strengthens the hypothesis for the causes that lead to abandonment are multi-factorial.Most of the closed resorts are located at low altitude and have small ski areas although some higher altitude sites have also been abandoned in recent years.This information can be useful for investors,policymakers,and stakeholders who should use it as a starting point when designing and planning new resorts to avoid future failures and the loss of public money.