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German Council for Land Stewardship
Short outline
Background
Foundation: The German Council for Land Stewardship is
a non-profit organisation which was established in 1962 by the
former President of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. h. c.
Heinrich Lübke, who wanted advice in environmental politics.
 Task and working method: The task is to work
out expertises in the field of nature conservation, landscape
management, landscape planning and environmental protection. Basic
objects of the work are fixed in the Green Charter of the Mainau.
The German Council applies for projects of actual importance at
different institutions (e. g. ministries, foundations). The topics
of actual importance are discussed during the two assemblies per
year. Usually work begins with a scientific conference. The results
of such a meeting are the bases for further researches and discussions
with other experts; this work is done by subcommittees of the
members and by the co-workers of the office. The result is a scientific
expertise with recommendations what has to be changed (e. g. laws,
guidelines, education) in future. The expertises are regularly
published in a series (Schriftenreihe des Deutschen Rates für
Landespflege) and send to all political parties, decision makers,
universities, higher and lower administrations, non-profit organizations/nature
conservation groups, who may be concerned in those questions and
interested in improving the situation. Nobody is forced to follow
up the advice, but especially in legislation important inputs
were given.
Finances: The German Council for Land Stewardship applies for projects
at different institutions.
Members: There is a limited number of members: The German
Council for Land Stewardship can have 20 active members. In addition
it provides honorary members and correspondend members. The members
are chosen by the council assemblies. The members represent the
following fields and are experienced experts in their subjects:
landscape ecology, landscape planning, biology, forestry, agriculture,
city planning, architecture, economy, legislation, industry. The
actual number of members is 29.
Actual topics
Current themes in work: In the moment the following topics
are focused:
Topics
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No.
|
Date
|
Title
|
Summary
(english)
|
Series
(german)
|
| Area protection |
83 |
2010-11 |
Biosphere reserves are more than protected areas
- breaking new ground for a sustainable future |
|
|
Waters |
82 |
2009-05 |
Improving biological diversity in waters and floodplains |
35 KB |
78 MB |
Waters |
81 |
2008-01 |
Compensation of structural deficites in waters based on radiating effects |
20 KB |
450 MB |
Legislation |
80 |
2007-01 |
30 Jahre Eingriffsregelung - Bilanz und Ausblick |
|
3 MB |
| Energy |
79 |
2006-09 |
Impact of renewable energies on nature and landscape |
190 KB |
95 MB |
Settlement |
78 |
2006-02 |
Quality of open spaces in city development |
27 KB |
12 MB |
| Conzeption |
77 |
2005-05 |
Landscape and Heimat |
18 KB |
62 MB |
| Forest |
76 |
2004-05 |
Forest management's contribution to the
establishment of a nationwide habitat system |
15 KB |
|
| Balance |
75 |
2003-12 |
Nature protection in Germany - a story of success? |
9 KB |
|
| Balance |
74 |
2002-12 |
Delayed Sustainability: Early Demands and
Contemporary Acceptance |
12 KB |
|
| Area protection |
73 |
2002-06 |
Area protection in Germany: Categories
and Effectiveness |
20 KB |
|
International |
72 |
2001-10 |
Poland's Integration in the EU: The Challenge
for Nature Conservation |
68 KB |
|
Contact
Management:
- Prof. Dr. Werner KONOLD
(Speaker - chairman)
- Prof. Dr. Konrad OTT
(Deputy Speaker)
- Dir. u. Prof. Dr. h. c. Johann SCHREINER (Director)
Office:
- Angelika WURZEL
(Deputy Director)
- Ute
BORCHERS (Scientific Assistant)
- Melanie DREWS
(Secretary)
Address:
Deutscher Rat für Landespflege
Konstantinstraße 73
D - 53179 Bonn
Deutschland/Germany
Phone: +49-228 / 33 10 97
Fax: +49-228 / 33 47 27
E-mail: DRL-Bonn t-online.de
Green Charter of the Mainau
On 20. April 1961, on the occasion of the fifth Round Table Conference
on the Mainau, the Green Charter was established:
"I am pleased to present The Green Charter of
the Mainau. Its purpose is to demonstrate clearly to all in charge
of urban and rural development, that individual and ultimately
even political freedom can only thrive in a healthy environment.
The Green Charter is based on ideas of a group of independent,
responsible men and women who have met now for five years for
round table discussions on the Mainau. This Charter has been formulated
by recognized experts in their fields. The Interparliamentary
Working Committee, consisting of members from all parties of the
Bundestag and the Länder parliaments, has made essential contributions.
May the Green Charter of the Mainau support, promote, assist and
above all initiate concrete actions. It is these that are most
urgently required in our time."
Graf Lennart Bernadotte
For mankind’s sake everyone is called upon to assist in the
realization of the aims of this Charter.
An independent committee consisting of senior representatives
of the cultural, political, industrial and conservation areas
is to contribute to its realization, since all our future depends
on it.
The Green Charter of the Mainau
I. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany
establishes among others the following fundamental rights:
Art. 1 (1) The dignity of man is inviolable. To respect and protect
it shall be the duty of all powers of the state. (2) The German
people therefore uphold human rights as in-violable and inalienable
and as the basis of every community ...
Art. 2 (1) Everyone has the right to self-fulfillment in so far
as this does not violate the rights of others or offends against
the constitutional or moral order. (2) Everyone has the right
to life and freedom from bodily harm ...
Art. 14 (2) Property entails obligations. Its use should also
serve the public interest.
II. In this connection it must be stated that:
The very foundations of our lives are endangered because vital
elements of nature are being contaminated, poisoned and destroyed
and because noise is harassing us intolerably. The dignity of
man is threatened wherever his natural environment is impaired.
Part of the inviolable and inalienable human rights is the right
to a healthy life worthy of a human being, in both town and country.
III. A prerequisite of our lives is, apart from wholesome
food, an environment consisting of healthy soil, pure air and
water and a thriving flora and fauna. These vital elements of
our existence are being excessively and unnaturally exploited.
With increasing frequency fertile soil is being destroyed, surface
and groundwater contaminated, air polluted, flora and fauna encroached
upon and the open countryside disfigured. The healthy countryside
is being consumed at an alarming rate.
IV. We know that:
Technology and industry are indispensable prerequisites of our
modern life. But: The natural basic resources of technology and
industry can neither be replaced arbitrarily, nor can they be
augmented at will. It is therefore necessary together to examine
the situation to plan and to act jointly in order to establish
and to safeguard the balance between technology, industry and
nature.
V. For the sake of mankind, it is absolutely essential to
establish and secure healthy residential and recreational, agricultural
and industrial areas:
It is therefore necessary to demand:
- Legally enforceable town and country planning
at all levels, taking natural conditions into consideration.
- The drawing-up of landscape and green space
plans for residential, industrial and transport areas in all
communities.
- Adequate recreational space by the provision
of land for gardens and parks, unrestricted access to forests,
mountains, lakes and rivers and other amenities of the countryside,
open spaces in municipal centres close to residential areas
for daily recreation, recreational space close to town for weekends
and recreational space far from town for holidays.
- The safeguard and expansion of sustainable
productive agriculture and of well ordered rural residential
development.
- Intensified measures to preserve and restore
a sound ecosystem, particularly by protection of soil, air and
water.
- The preservation and sustainable utilization
of the existing natural and manmade green space.
- The prevention of avoidable damage to the
land, for example during residential and industrial development,
mining, hydraulic engineering and road construction.
- The restoration of unavoidable damage,
particularly by the replanting of wasteland.
- A change in the attitude of the whole population
by more intensive education of the public regarding the importance
of the land and the dangers threatening it.
- A stronger emphasis in education of the
fundamental knowledge regarding nature and the land.
- The expansion of research in all disciplines
relating to the natural environment.
- Adequate legislative measures for the
promotion and safeguard of a healthy environment.
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