Thomas is a co-founder of the German ecovillage Schloss Tonndorf. It is situated in a valley with a large variety of local community-led initiatives and an established network among these initiatives as well as with other partners such as universities and local public officials. Collaboration with public authorities involves local mayors but also politicians at the county level, which provided an important opportunity for funding. Examples of these initiatives include a free school, community supported agriculture and cultural events like movie nights. The interview covers experiences regarding successful examples of collaboration as well as instances of challenges and opposition.
“The Mayor and his wife have been active members; actually, he is part of the board of our association since the beginning. So there is a direct contact and direct involvement of local politicians.”
Thomas Meier