ABSTRACT
Common-resource management arrangements exist in many traditional land-use systems, for instance in forestry (Lidestav et al., 2013), livestock herding (Netting, 1976) or fisheries (Berkes, 1987). However, many of them have been abandoned in recent decades. In this chapter, we describe the southern part of the Black Forest region of Germany as an area where common management of wood-pastures continues to be practiced (for another example from eastern Europe see Sutcliffe et al., in this volume). The common pastures in the southern Black Forest are unique for Germany both in terms of their great extent and their importance for regional development. With this case study, we aim to provide examples of the role a seemingly antiquated land-use form can play in the future of a developed country.
