Project leader
Dr. ir. W.H. (Herbert) Diemont (email / info)

Fellow researchers
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Duration
2008-2011

Goal
To stimulate active participation of the inhabitants of the Dutch National Landscape Groene woud in the development of their region.

Keywords
Rural development; financing mechanisms; environmental economics; European Union.

Summary

Globalization and EU Policy are triggering rapid changes in the European landscape. There are severe threats of abandonment and the loss of landscape values. But there are also opportunities. Sustainable management of the countryside can create jobs and income for the regional economy. Biodiversity can be protected at the same time. Many successful examples illustrate how this can be done. REP is the platform that makes knowledge from practical experience on sustainable rural development available to farmers, policy makers, investors and other stakeholders.

By as well globalization as climate change new possibilities for rural cooperation have been created. A situation has developed in which the city is the demanding party and the countryside is the supplier of services and products. This leads to the question how a sustainable land use in the periphery of the cities and the metropoles can be stimulated and realized whilst taking into account the aforementioned globalization and climate change.
The REP is a platform which identifies convincing examples of sustainable rural development in society and research and thereupon translates these initiatives in proposals and approaches that might lead to institutionalization and political support.
The contribution of REP to knowledge development lies in bringing together stakeholders and the identification of common goals of these different actors, like farmers, conservationists and private land owners. Subsequently knowledge is needed to translate this common ground into new farm management systems, financing systems, public-private cooperation and institutional proposals that can serve as a base for political decision making.

A result of the project, so far, has been the conclusion that biodiversity and landscapes in Europa are inextricably bound up with agrarian land use and that for the realization of political goals related to landscape and biodiversity public investments are needed of 200-400 euro per hectare on average.

Presentations
SELS Update Presentation “Rural European Platform” – May 2009
Rural European Platform - SELS Results 2008 – November 2008
SELS Update Presentation “Rural European Platform” – June 2008
SELS Proposal Presentation “Rural European Platform” – January 2008

Publications
Rural European Platform Position Paper - Hosking, J. et al. (2007) New Perspectives for Europe`s Countryside. Position paper for the High Level Conference on Business and Biodiversity

Website
Rural European Platform

Links
European Platform