Keeping the landscape open – challenges and successful strategies in the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

In this policy article, we identify challenges for maintaining the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve’s diverse cultural landscape and present the efforts undertakento address these. Set in a land-use context that is rich in tradition, featuring commonpastures and an indigenous cattle breed, landscape preservation today isthreatened by fundamental changes in the agricultural community as well as ofland-use systems. As part of the MAB network, the UNESCO Black Forest BiosphereReserve provides collaborative arenas to address these issues and propose actionin concertation with local actors and communities. To illustrate this, we describe theALLMENDE 2.0 applied research project, the creation of a commercialization hubfor the local Hinterwälder cattle, and support for the modelling of more extensiveecologically-orientated agriculture