Landschaftsmanagement

Landschaftsmanagement, also referred to as landscape management, is the systematic planning, implementation, and monitoring of land and ecosystem use to achieve social, economic, and environmental objectives. It typically encompasses forestry, agriculture, recreation, conservation, and urban development, aiming to harmonise human needs with ecological integrity.

Key principles guide Landschaftsmanagement. First, sustainability: actions should preserve or enhance ecological functions for future generations. Second, stakeholder participation: local communities, landowners, and governmental agencies collaborate to identify priorities and accept trade-offs. Third, adaptive management: monitoring results inform iterative adjustments to strategies in response to changing conditions or new knowledge.

In practice, landscape management employs tools such as habitat mapping, zoning, multi-criteria decision analysis, and ecosystem service accounting. Restoration projects may include reforestation, streambank stabilization, or wetland creation. In agricultural regions, crop rotation, buffer strips, and soil conservation practices reduce erosion and runoff. Within urban contexts, green spaces, permeable surfaces, and ecological corridors mitigate heat islands and improve biodiversity.

Policy frameworks shape management approaches. In many countries, national biodiversity strategies, land‑use planning policies, and watershed protection laws mandate or incentivise coordinated landscape actions. Internationally, frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention on wetlands influence national and local planning.

Effective Landschaftsmanagement requires interdisciplinary expertise, from ecologists and hydrologists to economists and planners. Its success is measured not only by ecological metrics—such as species richness or water quality—but also by social outcomes like recreation opportunities and cultural landscape preservation. By integrating ecological science with governance and community needs, landscape management seeks resilient and multifunctional landscapes that support both people and nature.