Judith PIZZERA, Wolfgang FISCHER: Similar future challenges in regional development in two regions upper Styria West and Pomurje SIMILAR FUTURE CHALLENGES IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TWO REGIONS UPPER STYRIA WEST AND POMURJE Judith Pizzera, MSc, PhD Institute of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 36, A – 8010 Graz, Austria e-mail: [email protected] Wolfgang Fischer, MSc, PhD Institute of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 36, A – 8010 Graz, Austria e-mail: [email protected] Abstract The paper in hand deals with analogous current challenges in regional development in the NUTS III regions Upper Styria West and Pomurje. This comparative analysis will be based on various economic and social indicators and background information in order to detect similarities as well as differences between these regions. The paper’s key question is, if the two regions along the river Mur namely Upper Styria West and Pomurje are comparable at least in some fields and if good practice examples of regional development are transferable and convertible. This may serve as an incentive for a sustainable regional development strategy along the Slovene part of river Mur in Pomurje. Key words: desettlement, structurally weak regions, Mur river, regional development, negative demographyc change. PODOBNI BODOČI IZZIVI V REGIONALNEM RAZVOJU V REGIJAH ZAHODNA ZGORNJA ŠTAJERSKA IN POMURJE Izvleček Pričujoči članek obravnava analogne aktualne izzive na področju regionalnega razvoja NUTS III regij Zahodna Zgornja Štajerska in Pomurje. Primerjalna analiza temelji na raznovrstnih ekonomskih in socialnih dejavnikih ter podatkih, da bi izpostavila tako razlike kot tudi podobnosti med obema regijama. Ključno vprašanje je, ali sta regiji Zahodna Zgornja Štajerska in Pomurje vzdolž reke Mure primerljivi vsaj na določenih področjih in ali so primeri dobre prakse regionalnega razvoja primerljivi in uporabni. Slednje naj služi kot izziv za strategijo sonaravnega regionalnega razvoja vzdolž slovenskega dela reke Mure in Pomurja. Ključne besede: razseljevanje, strukturno šibke regije, reka Mura, regionalni razvoj, negativne demografske spremembe. 314 Judith PIZZERA, Wolfgang FISCHER: Similar future challenges in regional development in two regions upper Styria West and Pomurje 1. Introduction During its app. 450 km the river Mur (Mura) passes different types of landscapes and regions, which are characterized through individual regional distinctive characteristics. From physic- geographical point of view the river shows its typical variety from the mountainous upper course to the middle course and its lower reach. On its way to the confluence with the Drava the Mur offers a lot of potentials for regional development measures and opportunities. In former times it was an important source of economic prosperity and human settlement in Styria. During the industrial age and after the World War II the river as an important natural resource laid the foundation for regional development along the Mur valley. But the river was negatively afflicted by big ecological damages through many decades. Many of the natural river banks and flood plains had been destroyed for ever. Nowadays the ecological situation of the landscape around the river is much better and even declared as protected. As a result the river Mur has significant potentials for future activities that offer added value for the communities on both sides of the river not only in the tourism sector. On its way to the confluence with Drava the Mur forms a common border with the neighboring country Slovenia. That allowed common initiatives and projects, mainly concerning environmental protection but also transboundary cultural events. Some central activities along the river Mur will be mentioned and analyzed in this paper. Both the outcomes and the added value of the selected measures and projects will be presented in regard to their applicability in other parts along the river Mur. 2. The River Mur and the Importance for the Regions On the one hand rivers are generally linking regions on the way from the spring to the confluence, on the other hand they are also barriers hard to overcome. This is the reason why rivers are very often borders to neighboring territories but also best practice examples of cross-border cooperation. Nevertheless the river Mur has characterized and influenced the regions on both sides of its banks throughout the times. People living in these regions have developed their living space partly on basis of the river and its flood plains (food, transport, commerce, energy etc.). But this development led to a negative influence which is manifested in a strong restricted natural movement of the river Mur (river management e.g. river regulation, dams, drain, power plants, industrial water usage etc.). At the present time the original natural potentials of the river become more and more important for regional development measures such as touristic added value activities (e.g. Life-Project MurErleben, RISE Interreg). Many programs emphasize these potentials like the “Tour de Mur” bike route along the river Mur as the most popular example. A good example of cross border co-operations provides the Austrian- Slovene Mur Commission. The main task of the commission is the integral consideration of water management affairs (Stalzer 2001, 7) including groundwater protection and water supply. Nowadays - in a united Europe - it is even more important to foster the people-linking relevance of a river, to set potentials together into force, so that also the young people get to know about similarities what should lead to co-operations in future development of the regions and better understanding of each other on both sides of the river. Busek (2001, 9) 315 Judith PIZZERA, Wolfgang FISCHER: Similar future challenges in regional development in two regions upper Styria West and Pomurje underlines that the river does not only connect landscapes but also social and cultural entities. This should result in a common better understanding between neighbors and in a prospering economic welfare development of the regions along the river Mur. 3. Similarities and Differences of Upper Styria West and the Pomurje Region A general introduction to the regional development will be followed by a juxtaposition by means of certain regional indicators and aspects. In order to be able to give recommendations concerning regional development strategies and measures it is necessary to analyze the degree of similarities. Based on these results a meaningful transfer of relevant projects activities with adequate added value for regional development will be discussed. 3.1 Upper Styria West – from heavy industry to a new era? The region Upper-Styria West, which will serve as a good practice example in the following, is a NUTS III region, which consists of three districts (Murau, Judenburg and Knittelfeld). The region has app. 107.500 resident population (2005) on app. 3.000 km2 (density 36 people per km2). As a part of the so called “Mur-Mürz-Fluting” this region was one of the most prosperous areas of Austria based on a heavy industry and mining. Mineral resources, water and wood brought about colonization and led to the development of road infrastructure even in isolated territories. These regions are closely connected with monostructure, in other words with the development and decline of the so called “old industry”. Hence economic and social problems are very much alike. Figure 1: Styria and the Region Upper-Styria-West (Obersteiermark West). (Source: http://www.regionext.steiermark.at/cms/ziel/14146250/DE/) The service sector is hardly developed. As a consequence the industrial regions are dominated by the secondary sector, mainly by only one line of business or even by only one big company or business group, which are still geared to mass production. Furthermore this company owns most of the property operates a distinct economic and social life and hinders settlement of 316 Judith PIZZERA, Wolfgang FISCHER: Similar future challenges in regional development in two regions upper Styria West and Pomurje new industrial business groups. Another Austrian phenomenon is of state-owned industry, in some ways an inconsistency with economic law/legislation. More monostructure can be noticed on the labour market in terms of too many skilled workers organised in one sector. In addition the Austrian trade union still influences policy measures and impedes a reorientation or innovation of the labour market. Consequently the unemployment rate (in particular youth unemployment) corresponds to global trend and is much higher in these (industrial) areas than in the rest of the country. Early retirement is one efficient strategy to deal with unemployment. Also the demographic situation shows a downward tendency; especially the younger generation is predisposed to migration. In the period of 1991–2001 the region faced a decline in population of 2.3 %, (compared to the province Styria with –0.1 % and Austrian national level with +3.0 %) rather high. The prognosis shows a continuing decline of –4.2 % from 2001 till 2011. The strongest loss of population can be recognized and expected in the most western district of Murau (Syrian Government 2007, 4). The reason for this negative trend results from a change of the industrial structure beginning in the early eighties. Beside the three district capitals the northern and southern peripheral areas were most seriously affected. Furthermore the decrease