Nature park plan 2033

Field of action: nature conservation and cultural landscape

A Matter of Honor Nature is an initiative of the National Natural Landscapes in Germany. The aim is to give people in the participating large protected areas knowledge and skills so that they can actively shape their own (environmental) world. Collaboration and fun are the top priorities for the “Volunteers in Parks”.

The Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park would also like to become part of the initiative: those interested have the opportunity to actively participate in nature conservation work at a low threshold and are guided by full-time employees.

The project should be widely advertised. Communication via different channels contributes to this. During participation, the volunteers are in the foreground to convey gratitude, because volunteering is not taken for granted. In addition to good support during care measures, this also includes the supply of regional products.

Field of action: nature conservation and cultural landscape

Conservation should take place 24 hours a day. In reality, increasing lighting in the dark hours creates strong negative factors for insects and other animal and plant species. The high level of light pollution further restricts habitats or makes urban habitats (flowering meadows) uninteresting for many insects. Even the Federal Immission Control Act classifies light pollution as a harmful environmental impact. The new regulation of the Federal Nature Conservation Act aims to curb light emissions at the national level in order to protect nocturnal animals. The draft envisages reducing the lighting in certain areas or the use of sky spotlights.

However, the nature park wants to go further with its partners and initiate possible changes now.

Field of action: nature conservation and cultural landscape

Natural, but also human-created and used biological diversity is declining sharply. The reasons for the decline in insect populations (size and variety) are varied. Central factors are the loss or isolation of insect-friendly habitats, the entry of pesticides and pollutants, light pollution and also climatic changes. 

The nature park would therefore like to work together with regional actors to ensure long-term and comprehensive protection of insects. The aim is to build on existing initiatives, such as the “Edertal is blooming!” initiative. Various measures are used to improve habitats, maintain biotopes, specifically preserve species, use regional seeds and reduce light pollution. A concentration of water-borne insects is also possible in order to strengthen the special habitats of the nature park.

The project is accompanied by target group-oriented public relations work. Synergies and events are used intensively.

Not only is the livelihood of the local population preserved, but also thematically appropriate content. BNE-Developed offers.

Field of action: environmental education and BNE

The planned ESD quality campaign is intended to develop handouts, ideas and quality characteristics for ESD offerings and to enable those interested to further develop their own offerings towards ESD. Because committed people are already offering great offers with great potential. They should also experience appreciation for their commitment through voluntary further training opportunities. The development of the ESD offerings should take place in close cooperation with the national park, which would also like to place a greater focus on ESD when designing its own offerings.

Field of action: environmental education and BNE

People experience education in different locations, at school, in daycare centers or in the nature park region or in nature. Qualitative ESD should also be able to take place in all of these places, which increases the experience of nature. The nature park mobile should be developed for this purpose.

The Nature Park Mobile consists of an electric transporter that is used in on-site educational work in schools, kindergartens, youth hostels and at events.

The mobile can be used to convey targeted “education for sustainable development” content. By planning and developing educational modules on topics such as energy and nutrition, the nature park is expanding its existing offerings with a focus on environmental education. The use of digital media and modern technology further increases the attractiveness of the offer for teenagers and young adults. In addition to its use in traditional educational work, the Nature Park Mobile also includes hands-on activities for use at festivals and across age groups.

Area of ​​action: Sustainable fisheries management

The lake's fish populations are changing due to climate change and increasing water temperatures. The Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park is the tenant of the Edersee and coordinates the fishing activities on the water. It therefore acts according to the premise that “fishing and nature conservation are compatible”; anglers are important stewards and carers of fish stocks. Professional fishing water use adapted to ecological resources is in line with nature and species protection.

To ensure this, the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park would like to create a conservation concept. In the future, the Obere Eder conservancy will work according to a coordinated concept (conservation plan) for the fishing stocks of the Obere Eder and the Eder dam. The principles of sustainable fisheries management are anchored as an important component and are supported by all actors.

By creating a conservation plan, the nature park fulfills the contract with the waterways and shipping administration in which a conservation plan is required. In addition, the sustainable management of the Eder Dam will be legally secured in the long term and ecological changes will be taken into account.

Field of action: environmental education and BNE

In no other phase of life does a person learn as easily as in the first years of life. That's why the Association of German Nature Parks launched the Nature Park Kitas and Schools initiative. Through the cooperation between nature parks and daycare centers, the regions become a place of experience and education and the nature parks become part of the regional educational landscape.

In the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park, there are solid collaborations between schools and kindergartens that are certified by the Association of German Nature Parks. Here, nature, the environment and sustainability already play a prominent role in everyday school life. Regular tours and joint events with nature park guides in educational institutions or at cooperation partners consolidate knowledge and ensure a high level of practical relevance. At the same time, the project increases the awareness of the nature park among people in the region.

Communication and public sphere of action

Society's information requirements have changed significantly in recent years, across (almost) all age groups. While people used to do more research and plan activities before going on holiday, nowadays people decide spontaneously how they want to spend the day. Nowadays, locals also primarily get information online.

On the one hand, the nature park wants to use digital entry portals to become more visible in the region, but also to take new information preferences into account. Another option is to link with municipal offers or those of the national park. The aim is to prevent the digital portals of different partners from creating duplicate structures in the region.

Area of ​​action for recreation and sustainable tourism

The Wanderbares Deutschland initiative is a nationwide project of the German Hiking Association. Behind this are fixed criteria that are intended to define a good hiking region. These range from the (connected) network of hiking trails, the quality of the trails, the signage to the supply structures along the trail and the accompanying infrastructure.

For several years, the region has been working together to develop as a hiking region. In the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park, all hikers' demands for a hiking region are now met at a high level. In the future, this claim will be ensured and verified through continuous certification as a “Quality Region for Hiking Germany”.

The joint project promotes cooperation between those involved in the hiking sector and creates structures and contact persons for a coordinated and coordinated approach to the further development of the hiking region.

Area of ​​action: Sustainable regional development

The Arche region of Kellerwald, Frankenau and the surrounding area is the first Arche region in Hesse, which was founded in 2014 by regional actors in the nature park region. Around 40 old and endangered breeds of domestic animals are kept here. This project not only has great added value for nature conservation, landscape conservation and biodiversity, but also for tourism.

Many animal owners also benefit from applying as an Arche region. Keeping rarer breeds of domestic animals leads to higher added value in the region compared to conventional animal husbandry. The concept of “preservation through use” develops an awareness of the importance of animals in landscape management, species-appropriate and sustainable animal husbandry and resource-conscious nutrition.

Together with the partners, ideas for further development should be collected and implemented in order to develop the potential of the Arche region more deeply.