The Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve was recognised by UNESCO in 2009 and is ideal for hiking and walking. The wooded hills and ravines on the Alb escarpment, the meadow orchards dotting the landscape at the lower levels and the diversely cultivated farmland characterise the natural scene of the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve.

Successful nature conservation and environmental protection in the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve is coupled with the social and economic development on the region that will provide the population with a sustainable livelihood for the next generation. Efforts are being made to manage the economy in a resource-efficient way.

The Biosphere Reserve comprises 3 zones. In the core zone, some 3 % of the area, nature takes centre stage. It should be left to develop without the interference of human economy and cultivation. In the tending zone, some 42 % of the area, the land cultivated by traditional usage should be sustained and developed. This land is cultivated by farmers, foresters and shepherds in harmony with nature. Some 55 % of the area is made up of development zones in which the aim is to strengthen the local economy and to devise projects for the environmentally sustainable production and marketing of regional products and services.

www.biosphaerengebiet-alb.de

Suggestions for walks in the Biosphere Reserve

(Map design VIVA IDEA, Stuttgart)