Land consolidation is an instrument for the sustainable development of the cultural landscape. It is intended to improve production and working conditions in agriculture and forestry, to maintain and expand the performance and functionality of the natural balance, to protect the natural resources (soil, water, air) and to support the necessary expansion of infrastructure. With land readjustment, the economic and ecological interests in the cultural landscape can also be harmonized.
The offices for rural development offer technical, organizational, legal and financial support. This makes it possible to implement an area-wide reorganization of land ownership, the implementation of construction and design measures, traffic development and improvement of infrastructure, water management measures, measures for leisure and recreation as well as measures for soil protection, nature conservation and land management. Land consolidation strengthens the economy and improves the structure of the rural area as a place to live, work, recreate and enjoy nature.
In order to carry out land readjustment, it is necessary to initiate a procedure in accordance with the Land Consolidation Act (Flurbereinigungsgesetz). For this purpose, municipalities or landowners submit a written application to the responsible Office for Rural Development. The office checks whether the prerequisites for the implementation of a land readjustment are met and whether the parties involved are willing to cooperate.