THE RHÖN AREA

Naturally, the Rhön would be covered by beech forests, mixed beech forests, numerous creeks and bogs. Since more than one thousand years, men used these beech forests for the production of charcoal to melt iron and glass. Therefore, since many centuries the Rhön is only slightly covered by forests. Large open grasslands are typical for the elevated parts of the Rhön. Thus, the region is also called "Land of open expanses".
Biosphere reserves are representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large areas. They help to formulate and implement protection, maintenance and development policies in an exemplary way - in harmony with the local populations spending their life and earning their livelihood in these areas. Thus, biosphere reserves are model regions for sustainable development.
In 1991 the UNESCO officially signed the Rhön-area as a biosphere reserve.
Natur erleben
It is not only the protection of individual areas by excluding utilisation by man but rather the integration of nature conservation objectives into the aims and claims of different kinds of land use which is to be achieved in the biosphere reserve. Since the high value of the Rhön is based on the traditional cultural landscape used by man, one must attach great importance to a common strategy of nature conservation and land use (integrated nature conservation). This can lead to considerable synergy effects which promote activities compatible with nature conservation on the basis of economic advantages and which, therefore, strongly support the efforts of nature conservation to the benefit of landscape maintenance.
This means that the Rhön will be a model for Conserving cultural landscapes through sustainable land use Conserving and enjoying nature fostering tourism Promoting and developing sustainable industry.
In the Rhön sustainability should be strived for which is ecologically and socially compatible. Thus, the use of natural goods and services should be balanced and holistic, it should comply with the overall goal of the biosphere reserve and should support all classes of population. The identification of people with their region needs to increase while living conditions continuously improve. All in all, the motto of the region is: "A future to nature, new chances to man".
For more see: www.biosphaerenreservat-rhoen.de
Copyright © 2010 Biosphärenreservat