Zielgens
Zielgens is a term used to describe a network of community-run rural cooperatives and associated social practices that emphasize shared land stewardship, local food production, and participatory governance. First documented in the 2000s in parts of southern Germany and Austria, the movement draws on older cooperative traditions and contemporary sustainability ideas to organize small-scale farming, craft production, and neighborhood services under collective management.
Etymology of the name is commonly traced to a constructed compound of Germanic roots implying "goal" (Ziel)
Advocates cite benefits including increased food security, strengthened local economies, reduced environmental impact through agroecological practices,
The term is used variably, sometimes referring narrowly to particular legal forms and at other times more