The Wandelhalle in Bad Brückenau was packed on the evening of 28 October 2025: the occasion was the celebration of the Rhön’s renewed designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Among the guests were representatives of the participating federal states – including Bavarian Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber, Thuringian Environment Minister Tilo Kummer and Hessian State Secretary for the Environment Michael Ruhl – as well as representatives of the districts and local authorities and UNESCO administrative bodies. The Chair of the German MAB Committee, Dr Stefanie Hedtkamp, formally presented the certificate to the three districts – meaning the Rhön may retain the title for a further ten years.
The basis for the successful recertification is the evaluation report from the periodic review, which the IfLS helped the biosphere management bodies in Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia to compile. It documents key developments over the past decade and outlines prospects for the coming years.
The report makes it clear: the Rhön Biosphere Reserve remains a model region for sustainable development. New projects have been initiated and established programmes continued. Measures for landscape conservation and the promotion of biodiversity strengthen the area’s protective function; the designation of a section of the ‘Green Belt’ as a National Natural Monument sends a strong signal for nature conservation. In the area of sustainable management, the Rhön umbrella brand and the apple initiative contribute to regional value creation and the preservation of traditional cultural landscapes. Tourism development has also been further expanded since the establishment of Rhön GmbH. Another key focus is education for sustainable development – ranging from biosphere schools and environmental education centres to training programmes.
Looking ahead, the report identifies key challenges: sustainable urban development, sustainable land use, climate-friendly mobility and climate protection. The region aims to tackle these challenges in the coming years through closer cooperation and innovative pilot projects.
The full evaluation report is available here:
https://www.biosphaerenreservat-rhoen.de/unesco-biosphaerenreservat/evaluierung
Contact persons at IfLS: Svea Thietje (thietje[at]ifls.de), Dr. Ulrich Gehrlein (gehrlein[at]ifls.de)
