Outdoor recreation activities in nature protection areas - situation in Germany

Within a research project of the Federal Nature Conservation Agency, the Institute of Outdoor Sports and Environment points out new developments in outdoor activities in several German landscapes significantly used for sports activities. Therefore two different types of landscape analysis were chosen: First the monitoring of selected sports activities in landscapes with special equipment respectively high frequented by sportsmen (top-spot method) and second the recording of the real utilisation of near-natural landscapes (area method). The results of the scientific analytics were combined with sociological knowl- edge to describe the development of outdoor recreation in different sport activities (e.g.: canoeing, climbing, paragliding or canyoning). Considering these results the possibilities and the limits of modern concepts of guidance are discussed. Convenience offers, the use of police law or the establishment of a new outdoor culture (depending on Scandinavian standards) will attach great importance to minimize stress and interference in natural landscapes. It is shown that the changes in outdoor activities offer the possibility for a sustainable use of the German countryside for recreation as well as for environment.