Project launch for the future of the municipal forest: starting signal for innovative participation process in Biesenthal

At the beginning of March 2021, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE), under the direction of the Mercator Institute Berlin and in cooperation with the town of Biesenthal and the Civilog i.Gr association, launched a lighthouse project on the Biesenthal municipal forest (Barnim) funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, DBU). The project is to be carried out as part of a joint deliberation and learning process involving scientists, citizens, politicians and other stakeholders. The aim is a participatory consultation process, taking into account the different values and goals of all local actors, in order to develop a long-term politically viable forest utilisation concept. An initial exchange with citizens will take place on 29 May.

The drought of recent years, high expenditure for the necessary forest conversion and different utilisation requirements have raised the question of how the forest can be used, protected and shaped together with citizens in the coming decades. As part of the research project "Science-informed citizen deliberations on sustainable forest use" approved by the DBU, a new type of participatory consultation process is being tested, further developed and communicated with the help of HNEE scientists using the example of the Biesenthal municipal forest (Barnim district). A deliberative process is used which, in contrast to conventional approaches, addresses both the scientific content and the political-social, conflict-laden complexity of forest management concepts in an appropriate manner. It is a joint deliberation and learning process based on international deliberation research involving scientists, citizens, politicians and other stakeholders.
A first milestone is the Citizens' Council Stadtwald (Biesenthal) in which cooperation takes the form of a project network: in addition to HNEE, the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC, project management), the town of Biesenthal and Civilog e.V. i.Gr. are involved.

The joint team of experts from HNEE includes Prof. Dr Martin Guericke (Department of Forest Growth Science, Head of the Forestry degree programme), Prof. Dr Andreas Linde (Applied Ecology and Zoology), Prof. Dr Jens Schröder (Forest Ecology, Fundamentals of Silviculture), Prof. Dr Martin Welp (Socioeconomics and Communication, Head of Global Change Management) and Dr Astrid Schilling (Forest Education, Public Relations) in the development of various alternative courses of action for sustainable forest use, taking into account the different values and goals of all local stakeholders.

First citizens' meeting Biesenthal
On 29 May 2021, a meeting will be held within this participation project for the municipal forest a citizens' council will meet for the first time. The HNEE team of experts will prepare input on the relevance of the municipal forest so that dimensions such as forest soil, biodiversity, hunting, climate protection, education and research, forestry, health and tourism as well as ethical aspects can be discussed. The topics identified serve to present various ecological, economic and social aspects of the forest. Furthermore, citizens should be encouraged to add their own experiences and ideas.
As part of the ongoing preparations for the first citizens' meeting on 29 May, interviews with 15 different stakeholders are being conducted and processed under the leadership of the project partners MCC and Civilog.

Note on image material
The photos available here may be used for reporting purposes. Please note the copyright notice © HNEE / Martin Guericke