The Green Belt as a European Ecological Network strengths and gaps

Karl-Friedrich Thöne
THE GREEN BELT IN THURINGIA – A VISIONARY IDEA
Conservation (BfN) on the topic of “National Nature Monuments”. The F&E project will
examine the role of the new category alongside the existing nature protection categories and
will elaborate classification criteria for the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatschG)
taking into account the international criteria used by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Although what has been achieved falls short of what would be ideal, the efforts
undertaken by the Free State of Thuringia have been considerable. The TMLFUN has
supported over 70 individual projects ranging from guided walks along the former border and
school projects to grazing concepts for maintaining valuable open pastureland. In light of the
complex conditions, more would not have been possible in the circumstances. The Green Belt
will continue to be a central aspect of the Thuringian Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry,
Environment and Nature Conservation’s efforts to maintain and promote the growing
importance of interlinked networks of natural habitats.
The Green Belt must also communicate to future generations how a dividing line
through a country has become a unique space that is able to connect people and nature.
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