Prognosis on the Expected Landscape Changes in Mueritz National Park (Germany) and Landscape Perception of Both Residents and Tourists

Project description

Mueritz National Park is situated in the North-East of Germany, half way between the cites of Berlin and Rostock. Management actions of the national park authorities are: Forest treatment to increase the speed of change in artificial pine plantations towards natural broadleaf dominated stands, allow natural processes in older forests, restoration of wetlands and a less intense agriculture, where landscape is supposed to be kept open. These goals might have impacts on landscape.)

The region is affected by huge socio-economic changes. Traditional forms of employment diminishes while nature-based tourism increases and is set to be one of the important economic factors in the region.

Within the research project, landscape changes will be predicted. Also scenic preferences of visitors and local residents will be analysed and how they perceive landscape.

Research questions

• Which sceneries are seen the most attractive in Mueritz National Park?
• What changes in landscape can be expected in the future?

Goal of the analysis of this study is to be able to realize possible conflicts due to landscape changes. With this information, Mueritz National Park authorities plan to initiate a dialogue with various user-groups and stakeholders.

Lake close to Pieversdorf (Management-/Development-Zone of the National Park) (Lupp 2004)