On 02.06.2020, after a development process of more than one and a half years, the recently adopted management plan of the Geo-Nature Park Bergstrasse-Odenwald was presented to the public during a press conference at the District Office of the Bergstrasse District. The now available management plan 'Geo-Nature Park 2030' forms the action concept of the Geo-Nature Park for the next ten years and thus ties in with the framework development plan 2005-2020, which was last updated in 2016.
What is new, above all, is that the Geo-Nature Park received recognition as a UNESCO Global Geopark in November 2015. Therefore, the management plan not only takes into account the recommendations of the Association of German Nature Parks (VDN) for a nature park plan, but also the criteria for management plans laid down in the UNESCO Operational Guidelines and the criteria laid down by the National Committee of UNESCO Global Geoparks in Germany.
The IfLS supported the development of the management plan in close cooperation with the administrative office, board members and regional stakeholders. This plan contains ten fields of action, four core messages, 18 lead projects and a unifying vision, which is summarised in the new slogan 'Preserve. Experience. Develop. Our Geo-Nature Park. Our future.' One of the lead projects is a photo competition, which is very well received and later leads to a photo exhibition and postcard series.
The management plan can be downloaded here (in German).
Contact persons at IfLS: Dr. Ulrich Gehrlein (gehrlein[at]ifls.de) and Svea Thietje (thietje[at]ifls.de)
