Kiel, 15. September 2003

Grußwort an die Tagung zur Europäischen Kulturlandschaftsforschung in Albersdorf

Sehr geehrter Herr Trube,

ich danke Ihnen sehr herzlich für Ihre freundliche Einladung zum öffentlichen Teil der Tagung zur Europäischen Kulturlandschaftsforschung. Gern wäre ich gekommen, doch leider verpflichten mich bereits andere Termine. Dafür bitte ich um Verständnis.

Ich möchte daher auf diesem Wege Ihnen sowie allen Teilnehmern und Gästen meine herzlichsten Grüße übermitteln und der Veranstaltung einen interessanten und erfolgreichen Verlauf wünschen.

Nach wie vor ist die Wirtschaftspolitik die treibende Kraft im europäischen Einigungsprozeß. Die zunehmende Ausrichtung der europäischen Frage auf diesen Bereich läßt jedoch vergessen, daß Europa als Idee und Wirklichkeit sich nicht primär aus ökonomischen Überlegungen ableiten läßt, sondern als Idee kulturstiftend wirkte. Nur die historisch gewachsene Kultur ermöglicht es uns, europäische Kategorien überhaupt zu denken und ein gemeinsames Europa zu verwirklichen. Identität, eine individuelle ebenso wie eine kulturelle oder kollektive, definiert sich vor allem aus der Geschichte.

Unter diesem Gesichtspunkt möchte ich mein Grußwort auch zum Anlaß nehmen, dem länderübergreifenden Zusammenschluß "Pathways to Cultural Landscapes" Dank und Anerkennung für die geleistete Arbeit auszudrücken. Seine Arbeit dient der gemeinsamen Nutzung und nachhaltigen Entwicklung sowie der Erhaltung und dem Schutz des gemeinsamen Kulturerbes auf europäischer Ebene.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Reimer Böge

Mitglied des Europäischen Parlaments

Dear participants at Conference in Albersdorf!

Landscape is what we see, landscape is what we remember, and often there is a great discrepancy between these two perceptions. As the minister for Environment, Nature protection and Agriculture I have to see landscape from different perspectives:

- as habitat for flora and fauna,

- as area for recreation,

- as agriculturally used area,

- as floodplain or

- as archive for geology.

But however I regard landscape, in a sustainable development.

And that is the reason, why I want to encourage you to go your pathways to cultural landscapes further on. We need pathways like yours to get a close cooperation between all social groups to get more and more comprehension, cooperation and finally sustainable development

Landscape is and was from ancient times liable to change. This we can see both with a positive and a negative result. On the one hand we have extinction of species and habitats because there are a lot of Claims to make use of landscape. On the other hand we can present prosperities in the protection of a few species, for example the crane, because we could manage to change landscape in a way, that the crane found new habitats. This example should point up, that it is our decision how to develop landscape.

Cultural Landscape is a "product" of living and working humans and thus to some extent their home. In 2003 the annual happening "Naturschutztage Schleswig-Holstein" are themed "Future without provenance? Nature protection and home". At this event we want to discuss among other questions what home means in our days and where the relationships to nature protection are. Already the attempt to define the term "home" shows that nearly everyone associates another idea with the term. And as manifold the definitions are, so multifarious are the pictures of landscapes. I'm sure, that it will be an interesting day. Perhaps I will be able to welcome some of you on 1^st of November in Rendsburg.

And there are more connections between my ministry and the theme of your conference. Since 1996 a project group "Historic Cultural Landscapes" lead-managed by the Ministry for Environment, Nature protection and Agriculture works to draw up a register of historic cultural landscapes for Schleswig-Holstein.

This group with members from the authorities for preservation and protection of historic monuments, from the authorities for nature protection and from the environmental group "Schleswig-Holsteiner Heimatbund" is an important connector between the different interests of landscape protection and deveiopment can follow.

And as a last example for my reference to cultural landscapes I would mention the baroque garden at Gottorf. I'm very proud that we could contribute slightly to make possible the restoration of this marvellous instance of a historical garden in Schleswig-Holstein.

You see, I should have had many reasons to join your conference - by the way, I'm sure, I would enjoy it very much, but I greatly regret: my date book doesn't permit to come. So I send you my best wishes for a successful conference and greetings from Kiel on this way.

Yours sincerely

Klaus Müller

Minister for Environment, Nature protection and Agriculture of Schleswig-Holstein