In the high-density Stuttgart region, nature and landscape are an indispensable basis for local recreation, agriculture and forestry as well as ecological and climatic balance. Around three quarters of the regional area is undeveloped and closely linked to the settlement structure - outdoor recreational opportunities can be reached on foot in a maximum of ten minutes. The extraordinary diversity of the landscape is characteristic of the Stuttgart Region - it plays a major role in its attractiveness as a residential and business location. With the Stuttgart Region Landscape Park, the Verband Region Stuttgart has an effective instrument for actively investing in this green infrastructure in terms of planning and funding. This is a statutory obligation that is unique in the state and of significant political importance - particularly important with regard to integrated settlement and transport development.

The key driver for implementation is the co-financing of individual projects. To this end, the Verband Region Stuttgart awards 1.5 million euros annually as part of a competition in which all cities and municipalities in the region can participate with project ideas. Up to 50 percent of the eligible costs are subsidized, the rest is financed by the towns and municipalities themselves. The co-financed measures cover a broad spectrum - from the qualification of regional cycling and hiking trails to the construction of viewpoints and recreational areas by the water to ecological upgrades. The aim is to create a continuous network of recreational opportunities as well as ecologically valuable natural areas. The projects included in the co-financing to date are distributed evenly across the region. By 2024, a total of around 25.5 million euros will have been raised for 273 landscape park projects. 218 have already been realized and 55 are currently being implemented.