Re: FOREIGN BASES

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

**62 LINES OF TEXT**

 ###############################
 The Threshold Foundation * Dr Burkhard Luber
 Heidland 13 * D-28870 Ottersberg * Germany
 Phone: (49+)-4293-1264 * FAX: (49+)-4293-1337
 Electronic Mail: B.Luber@Bionic.Zer.De
 ###############################

 Research Project

Conversion Parameters for a Military Training Area
 into Alternative Civilian Use

A two-year research project analyzes the conversion possibilities for
the military training site Bergen located between Hamburg and
Hannover.

This site has been opened in 1936 and has a size of 300 square
kilometers. Army and Air Force units undertake exercises on 31
shooting ranges and 14 artillery firing grounds almost during the
whole year with all major weapon systems which sums up to apr. 1.5
million shots (20mm calibration and larger) per year. The site is used
by more than 100.000 German and foreign soldiers during the year
with about 10.000 tanks and 20.000 other vehicles. On the average
7.000 soldiers are active on the site every day.

The conversion project which is executed from 1993 till 1995 investi-
gates the history of the site, the legal regulations and the military
structures of the exercises, the environment situation and the
economic importance of the site for the regional economy. Based on
these findings the project researches the requirements to convert the
training site in alternative civilian use, the corresponding costs for
clean-up and the potential new prospects for the surrounding region.
The results will be examined under transfer aspects for other
conversion projects. In a time of substantial troop reductions of the
German Army and foreign troops in Germany and the ex-Soviet
troops withdrawal from Eastern Europe the project has relevance for
the surrounding region and the state of Lower Saxony and a general
pilot function for conversion plans for military training sites in
Germany and in Europe.

The project is executed by an expert team in the fields of political
science, ecology, law and economy and is chaired by Dr Burkhard

Luber. Interim results are presented by publications, press releases
and public works shops. All results will be published at Georg Olms
Publisher New York.

In fall 1994 the following studies will be released:

Dr Oliver Lepsius: "The Legal Status of the NATO Military Training
Site Bergen and Problems of NATO Law" (released in September 1994)

Holger Fiegenbaum: The Bergen NATO Training Site - its geographical
and ecological profile

Juergen Voss: Environment Damages from Military Traffic and
Amunition on the Bergen Site

Juergen Voss: Atlas of Contaminated Areas on the Bergen Site

Michael Kalman, MA: The Economic Impact of the Bergen Site

Michael Kalman, MA: Military Activities on the Bergen Site

Dr Olav Mussmann: The History of the Bergen Site

Studies on alternative civilian use scenarios for the site will be published
in summer 1995.
Dr Luber works in "The Threshold - Contributions for Peace Work", a
non-profit charitable foundation for refugee help, training in computer
networking and database retrieval for environment protection and peace
work groups, publications on peace issues, promoting peace services and
executing research projects about converting military installations. The
foundation advises MPs and agencies dealing with conversion of military
areas into civilian use in Germany and Eastern Europe. Simultaneously
to the Bergen project the foundation has contacts to similar conversion
projects in Europe.

Burkhard Luber is author of various publications on disarmament,
conversion and computer communication, guest lecturer at Riga
university and editor of the international "Transcontinental Peace
Newsletter". Publications: When Trees Become the Enemy - Military
Use of Defoliants, New York 1990 * Disarmament Atlas. Chances and
Problems of the US Troops Withdrawal from Germany, New York 1991
* The World at Your Keyboard. An Alternative Guide to Global
Computer Networking, Oxford 1993.

For further information please contact Burkhard Luber under the above
address.