11 municipalities in the south of Luxembourg worked towards a candidature for several years and finally took the step to present the southern part of Luxembourg as a candidate to be included in the UNESCO network "Man and the biosphere".
Several studies were conducted in the run-up to this candidature and regional projects were launched to promote Luxembourg's natural heritage.
The municipalities' intention to apply to the UNESCO programme was announced last year and the application process will now move to the next phase: public consultations. Citizens will be updated on the projects and can give their feedback on what could be done to aid sustainable development in the region.
The Red Lands region (Minett) in southern Luxembourg, which used to be the county's industrial hub, has already been declared a nature reserve. In this region, it is easy to see how a natural landscape formerly dominated by human influence has taken over the reigns again.
The biosphere reserve label not only offers a good way to delve further into research on natural heritage but is also expected to stimulate tourism into the region. The candidature will be handed in towards the end of 2019.
