Wave of protests in the Ravensburg district: No to the biosphere area!

Wave of protests in the Ravensburg district: No to the biosphere area!

The discussion about the planned biosphere area in Upper Swabia continues to provide plenty of explosive material. In the last three weeks, a noticeable number of banners with the slogan “Reason instead of bureaucracy – No to the biosphere area” have appeared in the Ravensburg district. These banners primarily adorn the fields of farmers whose communities could be affected by the designation of the biosphere area. The messages were put up by the “Allgäu-Upper Swabian Alliance”, which vehemently positions itself against the plans to create a biosphere area. Schwäbische.de reports of growing resistance that has existed since the issue was included in the coalition agreement of the green-black state government.

The alliance is made up of a variety of stakeholders, including agricultural associations, hunting cooperatives, landowners and family farmers. Their goal is to reach the mayors and local councils, who ultimately have to decide whether their municipalities will join. A review process is currently underway to determine the future zones and structure of the biosphere area. However, Franz Schönberger, the chairman of the alliance and the district farmers' association, expresses concerns about bureaucracy and control in the course of these plans.

Biosphere area and its zones

Biosphere areas, as defined in Germany, are intended to promote sustainable development and are usually associated with a UNESCO label. Paragraph 25 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act describes these areas as “areas to be uniformly protected and developed”. In Upper Swabia, the moors are particularly important. The concept envisages that biosphere areas are divided into three zones: the core zone, the maintenance zone and the development zone.

The core zone must occupy a minimum area of ​​three percent and is closed to any human intervention. In the Allgäu-Upper Swabia, for example, large moor areas such as the Pfrunger-Burgweiler Ried and the Wurzacher Ried could serve as core zones. The maintenance zone, on the other hand, may be cultivated, but should not be intensified. There are no specific protection requirements in the development zone and roads and settlement areas are typically also found here.

Farmers' concerns are not unfounded; They fear that the requirements could change significantly after the biosphere area is designated. An example from the Rhön shows that increasing the core zone area led to resistance in 21 communities, but without success. The final decision on the biosphere area in the region is expected to be made by the local councils by the end of the year.

Opportunities for sustainable development

But it's not just critics who take a position on this topic. The BUND is committed to the creation of the biosphere area and is planning numerous projects to promote sustainable development. Initiatives range from the restoration of peatlands that are currently used for agriculture to mobility projects such as electrifying rail lines and improving the bus network. Innovative climate protection projects are also being pursued at the energy transition level, including the use of photovoltaic systems on traffic areas and the use of pre-polluted areas for sustainable purposes. More detailed information about the goals and challenges of a biosphere area can be found on the [Federal Environment Ministry] website (https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/themen/naturschutz/gebietsschutz-und-vernetzung/nationale-naturlandschaften/biosphaerenreservate).

Whether the communities will ultimately join the biosphere reserve is therefore in the balance. The different perspectives show that there are both opportunities and challenges in the air. The outcome of this process could have far-reaching consequences not only for the communities involved, but also for the entire region.