Plain Language Summary: Resonating with the landscape of the UNESCO Black Forest Biosphere Reserve: a new way to think about change towards sustainability.

By Florian Brossette and Claudia Bieling.

Read the full paper here.

Researchers and policy makers are examining how we can better understand and create positive changes for sustainability. They focus on the relationships between people and nature, and how these connections can lead to transformations. Our study introduces a new way of thinking called “resonance theory”. This theory suggests that meaningful relationships between humans and their environment are key to making positive changes.

We apply this idea to real-world examples in the Black Forest Biosphere Reserve in Germany. These examples portray different community projects that promote sustainability in taking care of the cultural landscape. This new approach helps bridge the gap between scientific theories and practical actions on the ground. It shows how personal experiences and emotions can lead to wider changes in society and the environment. The study suggests that by focusing on the quality of relationships between people and nature, we might find new ways to encourage positive changes for sustainability. This could help in developing better strategies for environmental protection and community development.

Overall, our research offers a fresh perspective on how researchers and policy makers can understand and create meaningful changes for a more sustainable future, starting from individual experiences and connections with the world around us.