National parks
The state of Bavaria boasts a number of protected areas, including 2 national parks, which combine the preservation of natural environments with the welcoming of visitors. They are true reservoirs of biodiversity, which will delight lovers of nature and wide open spaces.
Berchtesgaden National Park : located in the south of the Land, this protects a mountainous area, part of which has been classified as a biosphere reserve by Unesco. Populated by large mammals, it is home to remarkable biodiversity and breathtaking landscapes. Accessible by active mobility, it is also dedicated to environmental education and research activities.
Bavarian Forest National Park : located to the east of the state, it adjoins the Czech Šumava National Park, with which it forms an ecological continuum, making it one of the most important forest areas in Central Europe. Germany's first national park, its aim is to allow the natural environment to evolve freely. The National Park is dotted with hiking and cycling trails, as well as cross-country ski trails. The more adventurous can also discover the canopy, thanks to tree-top access devices. Museums and visitor centers (Nationalparkzentrum) help to spread knowledge of this remarkable heritage.
Towards sober land use and "green" urban planning
Changes in land use, including urbanization and the construction of transport infrastructures, contribute to the erosion of biodiversity. Suburbanization also multiplies the number of journeys and contributes to global warming, when these are carried out by emissive transport. Innovative measures to preserve biodiversity in the region include the development of environmentally-friendly urban planning. Cities are home to vast green spaces which, when they form continuums and are managed ecologically, help to maintain the evolutionary dynamics of living organisms. These gardens and parks create islands of coolness in cities, and allow rainwater to run off, helping to prevent extreme events such as heatwaves and floods. Urban planning is also good for your health. Munich's many green spaces include the Botanical Gardens, the Hofgarten, theEnglischer Gartena 400-hectare urban park, or theOlympiapark with its 300-hectare surface area.
Suburbanization, which contributes to land artificialisation and car use, is not inevitable. Germany has set itself the target of not exceeding 10,000 hectares of built-up land by 2030. Strong measures have been taken in some areas, such as Bavaria, where the mayor of Schwandorf has banned the construction of new detached houses. This policy of "land sobriety", in line with the planet's ecological challenges, represents an important turning point, especially in view of the country's history, and in a context of health crisis where aspirations for single-family homes remain strong.
Facing the climate challenge
The effects of global warming are already palpable in Bavaria. These include an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events, such as the heatwaves of summer 2018 and 2019, or the devastating floods of July 2021, which caused several deaths and swept away houses. The Hof district was declared a state of natural disaster. The decline in snow events - in favor of rain events - could see the disappearance of most of the Land's glaciers by the end of the century. Only the Höllentalferner glacier could survive. Germany is one of the biggestCO2 emitters in the European Union. This is due in part to the country's energy policy, which still relies on fossil fuels, particularly in view of the country's decision to phase out nuclear power in 2011. Germany has developed renewable energies (which are also sources of greenhouse gases in the countries where solar panels, wind turbines and batteries are manufactured) and has scheduled the closure of its coal-fired power plants. Bavaria has a thermal power plant in Würzburg, , as well as a strong automotive industry, and intends to "green" its economy, with the development of electric cars in particular. However, "green growth" is not an ecologically viable solution, as it comes up against the physical limits of the planet, as outlined in the 1972 MIT report " The Limits to Growth " or Meadows report. With this in mind, in September 2021, over 25,000 people demonstrated against the German Motor Show in Munich, at the call of several NGOs.
Numerous initiatives are nevertheless flourishing in the region. The city of Munich is developing urban programs based on compact, bioclimatic and energy-efficient buildings, such as the Freiham district. Thermal renovation of existing buildings is also underway. We are also seeing the emergence of participatory "co-design" programs, bringing together residents and professionals, as well as local and renewable energy production initiatives, such as the recovery of animal dung from the zoo. Another noteworthy initiative is the village of Wildpoldsried, which stands out for its energy policy (energy-efficient buildings, LED street lighting and renewable energy, including biomass). The region produces more energy than it consumes.
Bavaria also boasts excellent public transport links, and encourages the use of soft mobility. Travelers to Bavaria can easily get there by train or bicycle. Paris-Munich night trains also operate. Bavaria is criss-crossed by numerous cycle routes, including the European Cycle RouteNo. 6.
