ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the joint research project Objectives and Transferable Action Strategies for Sustainable Regional Land Use Management under Depopulation Tendencies (REFINA KoReMi). The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the programme Research for the Reduction of Land Consumption and for Sustainable Land Management (REFINA). The project began in 2007 and was completed in 2010. Shrinkage and socio-demographic transformation are two worldwide trends, to which spatial development needs to react. Accordingly, the spatial consequences of shrinkage have to be considered in the planning process. The strategy follows the political principle of subsidiary and is aimed at cooperative instead of hierarchical forms of planning. Strengthening cooperation across boundaries between different administrative districts would hence optimize land use policy and generally make a valuable contribution to the further qualification of land use policy within Germany. The framework for cooperation needs to be strengthened by the federal state governments.
