What do we know about open spaces and their ecosystem services in the European Alps? Results of a scoping literature review

Abstract. This review article addresses open spaces in the European Alps by systematically analysing research published in international databases of Scopus, Web of Science, and Georef/Geobase. Additional publications from institutions, such as Alpine Convention and AlpPlan, are also evaluated to support our review of open spaces in research. This approach allowed us to gain further insight into how open spaces are assessed from a spatial planning perspective and how they are valued regarding the Alps and their fringe area. The scoping literature review identified 98 publications that address open spaces in the European Alps framed by the European Union Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) perimeter. The value of open spaces is highlighted unanimously, though it is evident that a common detailed definition of open spaces, as well as solutions for how to best safeguard them, is yet to be given. This review aims to gain an understanding of open spaces and the role of land use and planning in maintaining ecosystem services. In this respect, spatial planning is identified as the most important tool for safeguarding open spaces, yet it requires transitioning into more proactive and coordinative instruments to strengthen its value in decision-making processes.