Sterr, H., Corves, C., Duttmann, R.. Studienprojekt Virtueller Erlebnispfad Ostseeküste Ein Beitrag der Geographie zum IKZM in Lehre und Praxis. In: Schernewski, G., Dolch, T. (eds.). Geographie der Meere und Küsten. Coastline Reports (1), pp. 169-175. 2004.

One of the most important objectives of ICZM aims at improving the knowledge of the coastal region and the understanding of the coastal system among both the local population and visitors & tourists. It is with this knowledge that people can fully experience and appreciate the value of the coastal region, its landscape and manifold biological and cultural facets. This is why heritage interpretation has proven to be a successful concept, contributing much to the revelation of a coastal region’s attractions. The region K.E.R.N. along the Baltic Sea Coast to the northwest and southeast of Kiel City is currently making pronounced attempts to apply ICZM as an instrument for the sustainable development of its coastal & marine potentials. Unlike in other regions K.E.R.N. region attempts to base its ICZM approach on concrete best-practise-projects. One of the first projects that were begun in order to make ICZM a practical success here is so so-called Baltic Coast Adventure Trail, supported by a number of coastal communities including Kiel City. The authors decided to contribute to this project with a student course on ICZM at the Geography Department of Kiel University. Based on a comprehensive understanding of the natural and human influences which shaped this coastal region, the participating students designed a virtual guide for this coast, which included a large variety of thematic aspects. By using modern multimedia techniques the guide allows to present these topics (such as nearshore coastal dynamics, impacts of storm floods, history of coastal protection, coastal and marine ecology of the Baltic Sea, coastal resources like fish, seaweed, wind, as well as cultural heritage of the region) as an online information for anybody interested in learning more about the coastal region and its sustainable use. The positive responses from the public proves that there is a need for this kind of information and its capabilities for the support of ICZM.