Nature Park Palatinate Forest
- The German part of the German-French Biosphere Reserve Pfaelzerwald/Vosges du Nord
History
The Nature Park Palatinate Forest (Pfaelzerwald) was recognized by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1992 as the 12th German Biosphere Reserve due to its special characteristics. At the same time it was accepted as a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Therefore, the Palatinate Forest is an important area for the global sustainability of the biological diversity and for the sustainable usage of the natural recourses on earth. In 1998 UNESCO designated the Pfaelzerwald/Vosges du Nord area as a transfrontier Biosphere Reserve.
Goals of the Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserves contribute to rhe conservation of natural resources. They also guard against environmental pollution and try to make people aware of ways to be environmentally responsible. Special development programmes, investigations, environmental monitoring and the creation of a general environmental understanding should lead to harmony among people and the living environment and secure this harmony over a long period of time.
People who live in the Biosphere Reserve need to develop exemplary and sustainable concepts of protecting, maintaining and developing nature parks and put these concepts into practice.
Biosphere Reserve as a living space and economic area
The Biosphere Reserve has been an important cultural landscape for generations. The cultural landscape is the basis and lifeline for forestry, agriculture, wine growing and tourism. The Biosphere Reserve is important water storage area, a valuable "fresh air donor" and a meaningful local recreational area for the whole region. It offers to its inhabitants a high quality of life.
A multiplicity of wild animals and wild growing plants find their living space here.
Further information:
www.pfaelzerwald.de
www.biosphere-vosges-pfaelzerwald.org
Map of the Palatinate Forest
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