EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

NOMINATION DOSSIER ANNEX 7.3.2
"ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Objective VII: Public relations and educational work
Public relations and educational activities most notably include
Development of strategies and conceptions resulting from situational analysis and
opinion surveys, and of strength/weakness profiles;
dialogue with the population, visitors, partners and representatives of relevant social
groups;
editing and arranging information as well as active press relations;
hosting events and conducting projects;
signage and visitor information in the area.
A comprehensive public relations campaign on the “Natural World Heritage Beech Forests”
subject has been launched within the scope of the nomination activities. Target-group
specific measures were developed that in part have already been initiated, and that will partly
be carried out in the coming years on a one-time or regular basis.
Educational activities in the nominated component parts are focused on the following tasks:
Information on the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and its goals,
information on the UNESCO Natural World Heritage (and other international protected
area titles) as well as the UNESCO’s MAB programme,
model function within the context of the UN decade "Education for Sustainable Development”,
portrayal of the nominated component parts: information on the profile and peculiarities in
topography and natural inventory of the five nominated component parts;
information on European beech forests;
addressing the wilderness, dynamics and ecological process management subjects;
education on ecosensitive conduct in line with the aims of nature conservation.
Measure 1: Targeted and coordinated public relations to make the World
Heritage site known
The German component parts are uniformly advertised based on the results of the
public relations project. Various printed media, exhibitions, and a website are used for
this purpose (see also Objective II Measure 2 and chapter 5.i nomination dossier).
Measure 2: Staff training
The national administrations are responsible for giving a view of the World Heritage
site, which requires the staff members of the protected area administrations to undergo
periodic further training in communication methodology and, specifically, in the "World
Heritage" subject. Such subject-specific further training will take place, among others,
in cooperation with the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).
Measure 3: Educational programme
Working out the communication concept "Natural World Heritage Beech Forests“ also included
developing the basics on an educational programme. These will continue to be revised
and implemented.
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