RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE FORMER MILITARY TRAINING AREA “DöBERITZER HEIDE”

Abstract

The end of the initiated dramatic political changes across the globe that would lead to demilitarisation world-wide. This demilitarisation, and the associated reduction in troop numbers, is closely associated with the opening of lands once used for military purposes. Through this demilitarisation and after the end of the Cold War in 1989, more than 8000 areas with a total area of more than one million hectares used for military purposes were opened world-wide (BMfUNR, 1997). Because of the unique geographic and political situation of Germany, significant military forces were concentrated here for decades during the Cold War, occupying a correspondingly significant area. In Germany alone, some 3860 km² of land formerly used by military forces were opened (BMfUNR, 1997). Due to the very large area of land previously used by the military, the State of Brandenburg has had a particularly important role to play in this process. Some 2300 km² of the state’s area was used for military purposes in 1989, accounting for cas. eight percent of the state. Between 1990 and 1994, the year in which the western group of the Soviet military (WGT) was completely withdrawn from the state, approximately 1600 km² were removed from military use (LB, 2001). Since that time, great efforts have been made to convert these areas such that they will be once again suitable for civilian use. However, the rehabilitation of lands used for decades by the armed forces harbours numerous problems. Beyond the con- flicting interests of potential users, the availability of an area for particular uses is the limiting factor. The availability of former troop training areas for civilian uses is generally heavily limited by the presence of military wastes.