Concept and strategy development
We lead, assist and design the creation of various development concepts in rural areas. In the creation of such concepts, the focus lays in particular on a well-founded examination of the required contents and fields of action, the structural conditions and a good knowledge of the region. In addition to providing conceptual and technical support, we also take on other tasks relevant to the preparation of concepts, such as moderating participation procedures.
Our current focuses are on the creation of regional development concepts (LEADER/ILE), large nature reserve concepts for nature parks, biosphere reserves or geoparks as well as in the field of bioenergy.
Our clients are state ministries, local authorities and regional organisations.
Projects in the thematic field
Regional development
Erarbeitung eines Regionalen Entwicklungskonzepts (REK) für die Limesregion Hohenlohe-Heilbronn
The action group "Limes Region Hohenlohe Heilbronn" applies for recognition as a LEADER region for the funding period 2023-2027. In addition to the establishment of cooperation structures in the form of a regional partnership, a region-specific…
Details »Conception of the Local Development Strategy for the LEADER Region Lahn-Dill-Wetzlar
With a new local development strategy, the LEADER region Lahn-Dill-Wetzlar wants to build on the successes of the previous funding period and the work done in the past years.
The IfLS accompanies and advises the region in the conception, the…
Details »Creation of a regional development concept as part of the LEADER application of the Hohenlohe-Tauber region
At the beginning of the new EU funding period 2023-2027, the LEADER region Hohenlohe-Tauber is preparing a new regional development concept (German acronym: REK) in order to apply again as a LEADER region. The client is the Hohenlohekreis as the…
Details »Elaboration of the Local Integrated Rural Development Strategy for the Region 'From Rhine to Wine'
The Local Action Group (LAG) in formation 'From Rhine to Wine' applies for the first time for recognition as a LEADER region for the funding period 2021-2027. In addition to the establishment of cooperation structures in the form of a regional…
Details »Large-scale protected areas and cultural landscapes
Biosphere Reserves as Model Regions for Circular Economy in Rural Areas
In the years 2024 and 2025 the IfLS Consulting and Projects is exploring the potentials of a systematic circular economy in rural areas. In this context, biosphere reserves serve as model regions for strategic approaches.
Circular economy (CE) is no…
Details »Framework concept for the Biosphere Region Berchtesgadener Land
The reflection of the previous activities and developments in the biosphere region Berchtesgadener Land within the framework of the periodic review provides the perfect occasion to also set the course for a sustainable development of the region in…
Details »A new management plan for the nature park Kellerwald-Edersee
In accordance with the criteria for nature parks in Germany, the IfLS is preparing the first nature park management plan together with the Reinhardswald Nature Park after its foundation in 2017.
Beginning with existing data of the founding period, a…
Details »A new management plan for the nature park Kellerwald-Edersee
A management plan will be developed in the next year (2022/2023) for the almost 600 square kilometer area of the nature park Kellerwald-Edersee.
The task of this management park plan is to present the current situation of the nature park and to…
Details »Agricultural policy and rural development
Re-calculation of the premium payments for agri-environmental measures of the rural development program of Slovenia
The IfLS has been commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia to recalculate the agri-environmental premiums. Agri-environmental premiums are paid to participating farmers as remuneration for ecological…
Details »Cross compliance indicators in the context of consultation systems for agricultural enterprises – CIFAS
Based on Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, EU member states are obliged to define Cross Compliance (CC) requirements and standards which must be fulfilled by farmers receiving direct payments. Additionally, an establishment of agricultural consultation…
Details »Development of a set of criteria for the assessment of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) with respect to biodiversity conservation and landscape
The study dealt with the interrelationships between farming and biodiversity, the question of the integration of agricultural and environmental goals, and the definition of codes of ‘Good Agricultural Practice’ (GAP). The starting point is the term…
Details »Climate protection and adaptation
Preparation of a climate protection concept for the rural district Vogelsberg
In cooperation with the Institute for Housing and Environment (IWU) and „Infrastructure & Environment“ (IU) from Darmstadt, the Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS) works out an integrated energy and climate protection concept (IEKK) for…
Details »Integrated climate protection concept for the Rheingau associations of communesfür den Zweckverband Rheingau
With a view to climate change observation, the tasks of climate protection and adaption are vital for safeguarding the future and constitute obvious challenges for all international, state and sub-state levels. In line with that, the German federal…
Details »Mittelhessen Bioenergy Region’ development concept
With the ‘Bio-energy Regions’ competition tendered in 2008, the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) promotes networks which have developed innovative concepts. Within the framework of the two-tier competition…
Details »Bioeconomy and circular economy
Biosphere Reserves as Model Regions for Circular Economy in Rural Areas
In the years 2024 and 2025 the IfLS Consulting and Projects is exploring the potentials of a systematic circular economy in rural areas. In this context, biosphere reserves serve as model regions for strategic approaches.
Circular economy (CE) is no…
Details »Sustainability and resilience
Concept 'Education for Sustainable Development' for the Rhine-Taunus Nature Park
Since April 1, 2018, 'Education for Sustainable Development' has been a further statutory task of nature parks in Germany in accordance with § 27 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act. Nature parks are to convey the nature park objectives, contents…
Details »Strategic Concept "Education for Sustainable Development" of the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park
In accordance with the criteria of the National Committee for UNESCO Global Geoparks in Germany, the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park is developing a strategic-didactic concept for the future orientation and design of the ESD (Education for…
Details »SDG model region for a sustainable Rhineland-Palatinate
With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the international community of states agreed on global sustainability goals. Building on this, biosphere reserves (BR) have committed themselves in the Lima Action Plan to make their own, concrete…
Details »Development of national indicators for soil conservation: Operationalisation of internationally harmonised indicator concepts based on data available nationally with particular emphasis on practical use in soil conservation policy
Environmental indicators are used for describing the environmental situation, its threats and possible trends. In recent years different indicator concepts have been developed at the international and national levels. The research project is…
Details »Socio-economics of farm business
Socio-economic study in the large-scale nature conservation project "Streams, moors and mountain meadows in the Thuringian Forest"
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Thüringer Wald is home to a diverse mosaic of beech and mixed mountain forests, mountain streams, moors and mountain meadows with rich biotic communities. To preserve and promote this habitat and species diversity,…
Details »Socio-economic analysis as part of the care and development plan for the large-scale nature conservation project "Ribbons of Life in Hunsrück"
In the Mosel-Hunsrück-Nahe region, the nature conservation project "Ribbons of Life in Hunsrück" is planned. The project is supported by the districts of Birkenfeld, Bernkastel-Wittlich and Trier-Saarburg together with the Rhineland-Palatinate Nature…
Details »Nature conservation project "New pastoral paths in the Palatinate Forest" - Socio-economic analysis as part of maintenance and development planning
A maintenance and development plan (PEPL) for the conservation of the species-rich open-land biotopes and drift paths will be drawn up for the 8,500-hectare development area of the nature conservation project "New pastoral paths in the Palatinate…
Details »Agro-Socio-Economic Study for the LIFE-Project „Hessian Rhön – Mountain Grasslands, Wood Pastures and their Birds“
Species diverse Natura 2000 habitats of the bird sanctuary “Hessian Rhön”, i.e. mountain hay meadows and Nardus grasslands, represent habitats especially to meadow breeders such as whinchats, meadow pipits and common snipes. The LIFE-project “Hessian…
Details »Sustainable land use
Study for the development of foundations of the implementation of a national peatland protection strategy
About 5% of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany stem from drained organic soils. In order to achieve Germany’s climate goals, a re-wetting is thus necessary to increase water levels in these soils. Rewetted peatland also creates further ecosystem…
Details »Developing a concept of defining and implementing Ecological Focus Areas in Germany
The European Commission’s proposal of the CAP reform after 2013 includes a “green” payment in Pillar One. One part of the corresponding greening obligations is the introduction of Ecological Focus Areas (EFA) on 7 % of arable land and permanent…
Details »Development of a concept and implementation plan for a sustainable crop production system for FRoSTA
In conjunction with the reorientation of the FRoSTA brand name, there are new requirements for raw fruit and vegetable products such as
- controlled growth conditions and ensured retraceability
- documentation of all cultivation measures relevant for…
Green belt Frankfurt/Main: Development of environmentally friendly forms of agriculture in the context of communal policy
The urban development project intends to introduce the 100 farmers located in Frankfurt with about 4,000 ha of land to their future tasks, which are increasingly in the area of environmental precautions as well as recreational and leisure activities.…
Details »Knowledge and innovation
Development of an agri-environmental scheme in Estonia
The general aim of this project was to assist the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in the development of an agri-environment programme (AEP) for Estonia which was: a) appropriate to the specific context of Estonian rural life, including the…
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