At one with nature in Germany's biosphere reserves

By Britta Schmeis Jul 12, 2011, 2:06 GMT

Berlin - UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) has been working for 40 years in the area of ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

The MAB programme's primary achievement since its inception in 1971 has been the creation of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves with 563 sites in 110 countries where sustainable development is promoted based on local community efforts and sound science.

Germany is home to 15 such UNESCO biosphere reserves, stretching from Wadden Sea of Schleswig-Holstein in the north to the Berchtesgaden Alps in the south. However, in order to qualify to be a biosphere reserve, an area has to fulfill certain criteria.

'These conditions include the creation of three separate elements, namely a core area, buffer zone, and transition or cooperation zone,' explains Martin Waldhausen, chairman of Germany's MAB national committee in the federal Environment Ministry.

The core areas are securely protected sites for conserving biological diversity and undertaking research while the buffer areas are used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices, including environmental education, recreation and ecotourism.

Transition areas can contain towns or farms where local communities work together with national agencies to manage and sustainably develop the area's resources.

Examples include the biosphere reserve in the low mountain ranges of the Rhoen in the centre of Germany with its beech woodlands and farming grasslands, and the Vessertal-Thueringen Forest, location of the famous 'Rennsteig' hiking trail.

The Rhoen is also known as the 'land of open vistas' because of the open landscape shaped by human use over the centuries.

'The biosphere reserves work with outside service providers such as walking guides, hotels, restaurants and mudflat tour operators, who have all signed up to the principle of sustainable tourism,' explains Vivian Kreft from Europarc Germany, the umbrella organization for Germany's national parks and reserves.

The Wadden Sea is Germany's most northerly biosphere reserve and encompasses a coastal area with tidal flats, islands, salt marshes and sandbanks. The reserve includes the tiny island of Neuwerk which can be reached by coach from Cuxhaven at low tide.

At almost the opposite end of the country is the Swabian Alb mountain range, which is part of the European Jura range. Wine is produced in the area while there are also beech forests, orchards and areas used for agronomic farming.

Indeed, each of the 15 biosphere reserves offer a unique cultural and environmental experience.