Biosphere Website
Karen Farnington (UWS)
Johanna Jansson (LiU)
Tom Maertens (AHS)
Tina Vest (HdM)
The Project Brief was about the Swabian Alps
Biosphere Reserve. The area of Muensingen has
had a very large military training area for more
than 110 years. When the Minister of Defence decided
to close down the site in 2002, the state of
Baden-Wurttemberg suddenly was confronted
with the question: What to do with a 6700 acres
site, located in the middle of the country, shielded
from public view? Soon the idea of a Biosphere
was born. But there were some problems to be
managed, there were still lots of unexploded explosives
laying around in nature, and there was no
infrastructure at all.
Our group, named Calw, was fascinated by the
unique situation the Biosphere offered. Protecting
nature, and aiming for sustainable development,
but with a rich military background and lots of destruction.
Our goal was to market and promote the Biosphere.
At first we thought things should need to
change, but after discussing the facts for a while,
we decided to use these weaknesses as our
strengths. We wanted to market the Swabian Alps
Biosphere Reserve to people who like hiking, but
are searching for the little something extra. To adventurous
people who are looking to do something
new. To educated people, who realise the importance
of nature, and are intrigued by the contradictions
that happened at this place.
We developed the idea for a video that would trigger
their interest, and referred to our website.
At the website, more information could be found,
so that people would be actually convinced they
should come and visit the Biosphere.
