The land available for agriculture at the national park covers some 3,800 ha, i.e. 32% of the land area of the national park. This area is managed by around 30 farming facilities. Whereas the majority of these farms tend to be small (< 100 ha), there is one farm which even by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern standards is very large.
Gut DarßGmbH & Co. KG domiciled in Born manages in total 4,000 ha (of which 3,900 grassland; 100 ha farmland). A good half of the grassland is located in the national park; for a facility which primarily represents economic interests, this means developing new strategies.
This process started in 1991 with the commitment toward organic farming. For a farmer this also means evolving the ability to not do. An extensive dam husbandry was built up. The number of bovine livestock includes Fleckvieh, Limousin and Deutsch Angus breeds, which are mainly marked by an excellent quality of meat.
The ideal prerequisites on the peninsula enable the cattle to graze extensively. Every year, during grazing, the sight of the mother cows with their vigorous new-borns delights the visitors and guests to the region. And whereas at other national parks, the situation between nature conservation and agriculture is not necessarily marked by harmony, the national park Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft can credit to its account a mutually feasible solution for both parties.
The marketing of products that are specific to the region still has something in reserve. For this reason, the national park agency wishes to contribute with the 1st Born Market toward the improvement of marketing everything that »originates« from the region. That the interest is substantial even beyond national borders is shown by the growing rise in demand for organic meat, as the increase in the sale of game in Born has shown. By now, large chains like EDEKA and Tengelmann stock beef from Darß.
The example of the »Gut Darß« farm shows that the conflict between a farmer's interest and nature conservation can be solved. A food production chain that is respectful on the environment is the path to choose in the long run in order to protect the landscape and safeguard agriculture.