Soil that is sealed or damaged by erosion and pollution can only fulfil its functions to a limited extent or even not at all: water no longer seeps away, soil does not bind CO2 from the atmosphere, and less and less food can be produced. The consequences are warmer air, high water, floods and more and more effort required to obtain drinking water. Nevertheless, the Alpine countries are sealing land every day, especially in areas close to cities. In addition, wind, hydropower, biomass and solar plants are increasingly taking up land – so conflicts of use are pre-programmed. The economical use of land is therefore more important than ever.

In a background report, Saving:Soils summarises the strategies currently being used in the Alpine countries, along with their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, practical examples from Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland show how and where land saving works. In South Tyrol/I, for example, vacant buildings in pilot communities are recorded on the “Platform Land”. The province of Carinthia/A relies on desealing, with the highways department narrowing several kilometres of federal roads by three metres. Puy-Saint-André/F has confiscated plots of land that no longer have owners: it has reduced the area in the development plan from fourteen to four hectares and thus also significantly restricted land speculation. An interactive map presents further good examples from the Alpine region. The background report “Save land, save soil” is available as a digital download or can be ordered free of charge in printed form.

The project Saving:Soils is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) within the framework of the European Environment Initiative (EURENI).

Background report and further information on the project: Saving:Soils — CIPRA (e)