Milchenbach is a charming German village, built in traditional style and situated in a valley surrounded by meadows and hilltop forests.

But it was also one of the rst successful projects for ecologically sound land consolidation, considering all aspects of an integrated land development. The problems The Milchenbach project started out with the problems on forestry and agriculture. Farm sizes were too small and plots were fragmented. Simultaneously, with the initiation of the project and in response to a social demand for ecologically less intrusive land consolidation projects, NRW legislation was changed in such a way that the project became one of the rst to integrate non-agricultural interests. In search of innovations Integration and participation became new demands of rural areas in NRW. An integrated land consolidation procedure has to combine di! erent aims and tools of land development. Therefore it has to promote environmentally friendly agriculture, forestry and village development, including economic, environmental and social aspects.113 Relevant data Size: 946 ha. Type of Land: Agriculture and forestry and the village of Milchenbach. Type of area: Area with agriculture, environmental and touristic value. Innovation: Integrated land consolidation including

village renewal Objectives Improvement of agricultural and forestry use, maintenance of enterprises, village development and rural development, diversi cation Costs 3,3 million ; 700.000 from the participants and 2,6 million from the Federal State of Germany, the State of NRW and the European Union Time schedule 1977 land consolidation decision 1985 road and water, resources plan 1986 valuation results 1985-95 building of roads and village development measures 1986 provisional transfer of possession 1987 publication of the land consolidation plan 1998 implementation order 1998-2002 updating of public records Contact District Government Arnsberg - Unit 69 (Rural Development, Land Consolidation)

Seibertzstrae 1 D-59821 Arnsberg 0049-(0)2931-82-0 poststelle@bezreg-arnsberg.nrw.de Flexible Decentralised Integrated Agricultural area Environmental sensitive area Metropolitan area The innovation is based on integration. Furthermore, the initiative supports exibility because of its broad scope, having to deal with various demands of di! erent regions. Although the integrated approach exists since 1976 in the Land Consolidation Act, the success of the Milchenbach project is still an inspiration for todays challenges. Results in the village An important step for Milchenbach was to implement various village development measures. Road construction; the renewal of typical half-timbered houses; infrastructure development; and ecologic improvements were realised and promoted by public subsidies and consulted by the land consolidation authority. The village roads were also redesigned in a traditional but functional way. Now the public bus is able to pass through Milchenbach. Trees were planted and green areas created on the roadside and in front of the houses. Some of the renewed buildings

are used for tourism today (farm holidays, guesthouses, holiday ats) and provide an important (additional) income source for several villagers. About 500 fruit trees and hedges and shrubs were planted inside and around the village and the traditional dry stone walls were restored. All these measures made Milchenbach de nitely more attractive than before, both to locals and tourists. The villagers and all local associations were intensively involved in the whole planning process. This co-operation for their village strengthened the social and cultural life. People not only took active part in recreation and hobbies, but also took responsibility (with support of land consolidation) for important services such as water supply.114 Results outside the village A new road network for agriculture and forestry was develop Results outside the village A new road network for agriculture and forestry was developed by the land consolidation procedure. Sixty kilometers of road was built or upgraded. Fragmented and uneconomically shaped agricultural and forestry real property was reallocated (consolidation ratio of average 7 to 1). The time spent for agricultural cultivation could be reduced by 80%, because machine usage for mowing and pressing for silage is now possible. Now the farmers can use their elds and forests in an economic and sustainable way. Milchenbach itself bene ts from the new road network. The big lumber trucks can now drive around the village and do not have to use the narrow village roads as before. Additionally, a number of ecological measures were realised. Creek valleys and water sources were

developed, indigenous hedges and trees were planted and a biotope network implemented. In general, the quality of nature and landscape were improved. Tourists who use the newly constructed paths and roads for hiking can enjoy this beautiful scenery. Land consolidation and village development contributed to the preservation of the appearance of Milchenbach, its identity, its quality of life and its economic development. Both instruments helped the village to adapt to present and future demands and to maintain it as an attractive place for its residents.