64
J. Hoffmann
A distinction is made between biophysical drivers, i.e., natural influences, and
socio-economic drivers, i.e., drivers of anthropogenic use (Schinninger 2008; Cortesi
and Hepperle 2011). The latter category is sometimes divided or broadened to include
socio-economic, political, technological, and cultural factors. (Bürgi et al. 2004;
Schneeberger et al. 2007).
Demographic change is increasingly being described as one of the central factors
of human influence on land-use change (Hersperger and Bürgi 2009; EEA 2010;
Moorfeld 2011). But does demographic change really contribute directly to land-use
change? Do changes in population size and composition directly effect changes in
land use (see remarks made in studies such as EEA 2010; BfN and BBSR 2011,
8; Milbert 2013, 45)? These reflections prompted the author and two colleagues to
conduct a study aimed at (a) finding answers to the questions of whether and to
what degree clear correlations between demographic change and observable landuse changes could be found in the existing literature, and (b) establishing what this
means for regional studies and regional development policies.
4.2 Methodological Approach
The study was, at its core, an extensive literature review. No original empirical
research or other inquiries were conducted. The findings were rigorously debated
at two expert workshops and subsequently summarized in a review paper (Behrens
et al. 2012
1 ).
One of the first steps was to define the two terms “demographic change” and “land
use”:
Demographic change refers to changes in the composition of a population
(Hoßmann and Münz, n.d.). This includes not just changes in population size, and in
age and sex structures, but also changes in ethnic composition, regional distribution,
and lifestyle (BMI 2011, 11). Demographic change cannot be characterized as a
single, coherent phenomenon. It is shaped by preexisting social processes and takes
very different regional and local forms (Demuth et al. 2010, 26).
The concept of land use was based largely on Spitzer’s definition. He uses the
category “direct land use” (direkte Landnutzung) to group together types of land use
that visibly cover the surface of the land (Spitzer 1991, 161). Then there are various
forms of “indirect land use” (indirekte Landnutzung), for example nature conservation, which may be included in multiple-use scenarios alongside the principal
land-use types (Spitzer 1991, 172). Data on direct land use is recorded in Germany’s
official land-use statistics.
The catalog of land-use types used by the Working Committee of the Surveying
Authorities of the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany (AdV and AK LK
1 The study was funded by the Sustainable Land Management program, established by the German
Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
J. Hoffmann
A distinction is made between biophysical drivers, i.e., natural influences, and
socio-economic drivers, i.e., drivers of anthropogenic use (Schinninger 2008; Cortesi
and Hepperle 2011). The latter category is sometimes divided or broadened to include
socio-economic, political, technological, and cultural factors. (Bürgi et al. 2004;
Schneeberger et al. 2007).
Demographic change is increasingly being described as one of the central factors
of human influence on land-use change (Hersperger and Bürgi 2009; EEA 2010;
Moorfeld 2011). But does demographic change really contribute directly to land-use
change? Do changes in population size and composition directly effect changes in
land use (see remarks made in studies such as EEA 2010; BfN and BBSR 2011,
8; Milbert 2013, 45)? These reflections prompted the author and two colleagues to
conduct a study aimed at (a) finding answers to the questions of whether and to
what degree clear correlations between demographic change and observable landuse changes could be found in the existing literature, and (b) establishing what this
means for regional studies and regional development policies.
4.2 Methodological Approach
The study was, at its core, an extensive literature review. No original empirical
research or other inquiries were conducted. The findings were rigorously debated
at two expert workshops and subsequently summarized in a review paper (Behrens
et al. 2012
1 ).
One of the first steps was to define the two terms “demographic change” and “land
use”:
Demographic change refers to changes in the composition of a population
(Hoßmann and Münz, n.d.). This includes not just changes in population size, and in
age and sex structures, but also changes in ethnic composition, regional distribution,
and lifestyle (BMI 2011, 11). Demographic change cannot be characterized as a
single, coherent phenomenon. It is shaped by preexisting social processes and takes
very different regional and local forms (Demuth et al. 2010, 26).
The concept of land use was based largely on Spitzer’s definition. He uses the
category “direct land use” (direkte Landnutzung) to group together types of land use
that visibly cover the surface of the land (Spitzer 1991, 161). Then there are various
forms of “indirect land use” (indirekte Landnutzung), for example nature conservation, which may be included in multiple-use scenarios alongside the principal
land-use types (Spitzer 1991, 172). Data on direct land use is recorded in Germany’s
official land-use statistics.
The catalog of land-use types used by the Working Committee of the Surveying
Authorities of the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany (AdV and AK LK
1 The study was funded by the Sustainable Land Management program, established by the German
Federal Ministry of Education and Research.