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Landscape management in Germany
beech and oak forest in Spessart
tence. It has been inevitably managed as a forest because
of geological reasons as well as historical and
economic reasons. On the periphery of the forest
there is a wetland which provides habitat for beavers.
On the well-drained slopes of forest, vineyards were
installed to produce wine. Hikers who enjoy such
landscapes from nearby cities are also one of the essences
comprising the landscape.
In such cases, the “landscape development” officers
make an effort to reach a harmony by coordinating
discussions. The stakeholders are comprised of
not only each level of area representatives, but actually
all the people in the area. If there is a problem
regarding the rural development, it is important to
start the discussion as early as possible. The key task
is to balance and harmonize all the rural landscape
elements. In Germany, a concept which structurally
views area’s natural resources and social economic
level and elements called “Raumordnung”(setting
land and space in order), is prevailing and it contributes
to the broad environmental protection.
© JWRC
5. Summary: landscape management in germany
Agriculture in West Germany in the 1980s was in a
difficult situation within the European Commission’s
common agricultural market. In order to improve
the situation, Germany transformed its agricultural
policy based on a fundamental revision of rural development
law in 1976, to achieve “infrastructural
development and improvement of rural areas”. German
agricultural policy is no longer viewing agriculture
as mere producer, but extending its role as
“manager of rural environments” (Ishii, 2007:199).
The European Union is striving to develop its environmental
policy to protect biodiversity by shifting
its target from preserving species to areas as a whole,
and make a network of diverse ecosystem areas (table
1). Natura2000 emphasizes the importance of
rural landscape and biodiversity.
For instance, people who live in rural areas but no
longer practice agriculture still have the opportunity
to make a statement about rural environmental
management as a member of a rural community.
This attitude could be stemming from the traditional
community perspective that the people who live on
the land “must protect their own land”. People’s high
level of environmental conscience enables the high
cost of direct payment toward farm businesses.
This study was commissioned by the Ministry of the
Environment, Japan
references
Bavarian State Ministry for Environment, Public Health and Consumer
Protection (2008). Nature.Diversity.Bavaria.. 31 pp.
Ecosystem Conservation Society - Japan. (2004). Revised. Face an
era of global agricultural environment - a living treasure of agricultural
law. 148 pp. (in Japanese)
Ishii M. (2007). Philosophy of Land Conservation of land use in
Japan. Kokin Shoin. 342 pp. (in Japanese)
Ishii Y., Kanuma K., Oota I., Okuda H., Owari T., Kousaka R.,
Suwa M., Yasui A., Yamaki K. and Yamamoto M. (2005). Forest
Management in Europe. 333 pp. (in Japanese)
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