The MAB National Committee reviews the progress of development in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön [link in German] every ten years. Within the framework of three evaluation workshops in May 2023, numerous regional actors were able to contribute their expertise.
After successfully passing two periodic reviews in 2003 and 2013, the Rhön is currently in the third evaluation process in order to be allowed further using the title of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The work and development of the three administrative bodies as well as the development of the region as a whole are being evaluated from a neutral perspective. IfLS Beratung und Projekte GmbH was commissioned to prepare the "Periodic Review Report".
As the report presents the activities in the entire region, it is of great importance that it is also supported by the region. Therefore, a total of three workshops were held with regional stakeholders on 16 May 2023 and 23 and 24 May 2023 on the topics of protection (nature), development (people) and logistics (knowledge).
The aim of the workshops was to jointly recapitulate the extent to which the goals and projects have been achieved within the last ten years (2013-2022). At the same time, the process was used to draw up a five-year balance sheet for the implementation of the new framework concept of 2018 [link in German]. After all participants had the chance to evaluate the achievement of goals in the different thematic areas in an open space round, an in-depth discussion followed in small groups.The focus was on questions such as:Which activities and developments of the last ten years were particularly relevant? What were the main obstacles?And what can we take away for the future?
The results of the three workshops were directly incorporated into the evaluation report, which was handed over to the three environmental ministries in Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia in June 2023 and, after a revision phase, will be passed on to the German MAB National Committee in August 2023.
Contact persons at the IfLS: Svea Thietje (thietje[at]ifls.de); Dr Ulrich Gehrlein (gehrlein[at]ifls.de)
