The man from the biosphere – exploring the interaction between a protected cultural landscape and its residents by quantitative interviews: the case of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Rhön, Germany. eco.mont (Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research)|eco.mont Vol. 3 No. 1 3 1|

The Rhön is a sparsely wooded central German upland and an historical cultural landscape which has been protected as a biosphere reserve since 1991. This status has induced a positive change through adapted landscape conservation and support of endogenous economic processes. Quantitative interviews with residents were carried out to determine the relevance of their relationship with the landscape. The survey shows that the biosphere reserve is a preferred rural habitat and that the local population is keenly aware of it and accepts it. The variety of uses, however, also creates difficulties and conflicts, e.g. in the high number of out-commuters. A remarkable result is the positive influence of the biosphere reserve on the sense of cohesion in the region which traditionally suffers from multiple divisions