Cooperation project BR-Connect: Expansion of the international relations of Germany’s biosphere reserves in the world network of UNESCO biosphere reserves

“BR-Connect” is a cooperation project of the three partners in the biosphere.center (Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Michael Succow Foundation, Nationale Naturlandschaften e. V.). It supports the German Biosphere Reserves (gBR) in their international networking with international UNESCO-BR in the world network.

Aims of the joint project include

    • Exchange of experiences of the gBR administrations on their experiences with international cooperation relations: Opportunities & Obstacles to Global Cooperation.
    • Support of two gBR in the development of international cooperation.
    • Preparation of a practical-guide to support the establishment of international relations.

Through the international exchange of experience and know-how, the role of the gBRs as test and demonstration areas for sustainable development is significantly strengthened. The project is designed to enable the BR administrations to establish and maintain international partnerships independently and in exchange with corresponding bodies such as the German Commission for UNESCO (DUK), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) or the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). The gBRs thus make a tangible contribution to fulfilling the mandate of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves as an innovation network for sustainability (also in the sense of the Lima Action Plan).

The target group of the project are the administrations of the biosphere reserves in Germany, which are to be supported in establishing and expanding international networks with other biosphere reserves, and the accompanying groups AGBR and MAB Committee.

At the start of BR-Connect a workshop for all BR administrations was held in February 2020.

As part of the project, work is also being done on the new edition of the brochure ‘Biosphärenreservate in Deutschland – Natürlich nah‘ (even in english language) of the Nationale Naturlandschaften e. V.

The cooperation project will be implemented in close coordination between the partners involved and with a high degree of transparency towards the biosphere reserves involved. All resulting materials will be made available on the website of the Nationale Naturlandschaften e. V.

 

Project network: Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE), Michael Succow Foundation (MSF), Nationale Naturlandschaften e. V. (NNL)

Contact:

HNEE: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Rein (Project Management), Britta Wiebrock (Project Coordination), Heike Dickhut

Michael Succow Stiftung: Kirsten Meuer (Project Management)

Nationale Naturlandschaften e. V.: Dr. Neele Larondelle (Project Management)

Project duration: 2019-2020

Financed by:

Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)

 

 

 

 

with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).