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| The Iron Curtain Project (European Union Fifth Framework Project NQLRT-CT-2001-01401) The nearly fifty years of extremely diverging regional policy and the total lack of co-operation and interaction between the neighbor states along the iron curtain lead to a significant discontinuity and destruction of former relations and the competitive use of all types of common resources. With the ongoing integration efforts of the eastern countries to become member states of the European Union these specific areas reveal high importance and special attention. This is mainly due to their extreme sensitivity in relation to further regional development, use of natural resources, preservation of unique natural environment and agricultural land use. To be able to avoid potential conflicts and problems and especially the risk of destruction of valuable ecosystems and inherited social and cultural preconditions reliable information for decision making and recommendations for effective measures should be made available in a consistent and integrated form.
Therefore the overall goal of the project is to develop a methodology based on the manifold experience of the project partners leading to standardized tools and procedures for integrated resource evaluation, analysis and management following the principles of sustainable development. This will be tested and scaled in several case studies along an European north/south traverse. A generic model will be deduced to be successfully transferred and used in other relevant former iron curtain regions. Relevant users are represented mainly in institutions for regional and EU agricultural policy making, regional planning and resource (environmental) management. Within the fifth framework programme part "Quality of life and management of living resources" the project relates to key action 5 "Sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry and integrated development of rural areas including mountain areas". It especially addresses key area 5.5 "New tools and models for the integrated and sustainable development of rural and other relevant areas". The consortium consists out of experienced partners in regional land use planning, geo data analysis and integration, development of regional data bases and information systems as well as in environmental and regional management, sustainable agriculture and forestry and rural economics. Specific partner groups knowing the local circumstances will take care of the case studies and contribute with this experience to the reference model and specific recommendations. List of Partners:
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