Current Research Project
Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Ecosystems and Water
Supply in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve: Participatory Risk Assessment and
Development of Adaptation Measures
Facing difficulties in quantifying climate change and an increasing
pressure in using water resources, how can these resources be managed
sustainably for society and the ecosystem by different actors?
The aim of the project is (1) to develop suitable management
strategies in a participatory manner in order to be able to use the
water resources in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve, especially its Hessian
part, in a sustainable way for society and the ecosystem in view of
climate change. To this end, (2) methods for interdisciplinary (social
and natural sciences) and transdisciplinary (with scientists and
practice partners) knowledge integration must be developed. Practice
partners (i.e. institutional stakeholders) are selected, relevant
Hessian actors in the problem area, such as the administrative office of
the Hessian Biosphere Reserve Rhön, (water) authorities, civil society
organisations, companies and other stakeholders.
The perception of the problem and the willingness of citizens to
adapt is empirically surveyed by the project partners and brought into
the participatory process in a way that not directly involves citizens
in the process. The exact focus within the problem area (e.g. drinking
water supply, preservation of the raised bog, water transfer to Fulda)
will be developed by the project partners in a participatory manner with
the stakeholders during the participatory process. This exact focus
will depend, for example, on the composition of the stakeholders, their
problem perspectives, and their specific areas of interest.
Further Information
