Research objectives

1. The green rural landscape in a rural-urban context, in particular: perception of urban pressure, rural-urban relations, RGS and compensation payments;
2. Demand for RGS, in particular: identification of trends and motives to demand RGS and willingness to pay for RGS and the green landscape;
3. Identification of strategies by intermediate actors, in particular: to organise RGS and compensation payments to enhance RGS;
4. Propensity to provide RGS, in particular: identification of trends and motives to supply RGS and to preserve the green landscape;
5. New relationships between rural and urban areas, in particular compensation payments and RGS to preserve the green landscape.

To be able to identify differences and similarities, the research will analyse experiences in Finland, France, Hungary, The Netherlands and Spain. In each country two study areas will be selected. The first one is the Metropolitan rural area (M-area): the rural area nearby a metropolitan area. The second one is the Tourist rural area (T-area): the rural area further away lying nearby tourist coastal zones. Relevant for the first area is that it borders to (or includes) a ‘metropolis’. Relevant for the second area that it includes a substantial level of tourist accommodation, in particular second houses. In both areas there should be a policy to care for the green landscape, indicated by zoning plans, creation of landscape parks or other measures.

Overview participating countries and study areas (NUTS III areas)

Country	Metropolitan study area	Tourist study area
Finland	Helsinki area (Uusimaa)	Åboland (Varsinais-Suomi)
France	French Vexin (Ile de France)	Pays de Caux (Seine-Maritime)
Hungary	Western Budapest area	Balaton & Valley of Arts (Veszprem)
The Netherlands	Oost Zuid-Holland	Zeeuwse eilanden
Spain	Camp de Turia (Valencia)	Marina Alta (Alicante)