Biking and hiking is an important part of the tourist offer in the biosphere reserve Swabian Alb, which has to be improved and expanded in the future.
Due to the expected increase of traffic volume and the existing weaknesses in the area, there is a concern of this study, to give recommendations for routes for biking and hiking trails that will create lasting awareness of the typical landscape of the Swabian Alb and strengthen it.
As an outcome it is expected that an appreciation for the landscape and furthermore a local identity will be created, that leads ultimately to the conservation and preservation of the landscape and positive effect on the whole region.
A special challenge is the former military training ground in Münsingen that has been made now available to the public only a few years ago after 100 years of military use. Because of its almost self-sufficient development, there’s a landscape as it was 100 years ago, but there were also effects due to the intensive military use. The military camp is not just only located in the heart of the biosphere reserve, but is also home to the office of the biosphere reserve and the Information Center, a main contact point for tourists and thus remains an important hotspot in the biosphere reserve.
The users on the bike and walking paths have to get close to the rural landscape, but at the same time sensitive areas such as the biosphere core zones and special habitats are protected. The biggest problem that arises with the implementation of routes, is the burden of the soil with ordnance debris, which must be high-costly eliminated and this process has also a negative impact on the vacated area itself, because the soil dug up at 3m depth.
With the help of GIS flexible recommendations on suitable route can be given.
Looking closer on the needs of users of the area, it’s the conclusion that the military area in the current state with its flat asphalt roads more appeals to the cyclists than hikers.
There is a great opportunity for new, high-quality trails, but also the bicycle network needs to be expanded and connected to the existing bicycle network in the Swabian Alb.
The territory of the former military camp has enormous potential, which has now to be recognized and tapped.
- English Title : Biosphere Swabian Alb - Increasing awareness for landscape with hiking and biking trails
- University : Nürtingen-Geislingen University, DE
- Project was done for Course Unit : IMLA Schwerpunkt-Projekt I - 2010 ( IMLA Main project I - 2010 )
- Coordinates - Longitude: : 9.539415836334229000
- Coordinates - Latitude: : 48.416441588522190000
- Academic Year : 2010 / 11
- City : Nürtingen
- Project Language : German
- Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Roman Lenz, Prof. Dr. Christian Küpfer, Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Werner Rolf
- Location of project : Germany
- Image Title : Student Projects 2010 - Biosphere Reserve Swabian Alb