Rural Europe on the move English_E_version_all | Page 121

Science vs ' the real
world'
and openness to confront the though, he was a local, he understood
stereotypes and prejudices you hold; agriculture and the people who lived
it requires a readiness to be wrong and worked in it. These are things
and reconfigure what you think you further education cannot so easily
firmly held opinions we were know. Reflecting, back home in the teach, as this is a different form of
confronted with. This was intimidating university, I felt attracted by the knowledge. He took a crash course
but it points to the often complex Lesachtal way of life, the landscape in development basics and built a
relationships between scientific and and the community spirit. After 5 team with an external professional
experiential knowledge, and also months, I decided to try again. I (who understood the legal and
academia’s role in the rural world. came back on a new job. This time administrative framework in which
Frequently non-scientific and non- everything felt a little more familiar the regional development plan had
academic ways of knowing about the and I slowly began to understand the to operate). This combination was the
environment have been excluded Lesachtal ‘sense of place,’ a concept key to success.
from serious study. These ways of Camille introduced in chapter 3. After knowing often require integration, that project drew to a close, I decided was the association running the
feeling and prolonged immersion, to stay and to try out this way of life regional development programme.
an expertise garnered from real for myself. In 1996, Forum Synergies invited
Such were the deeply ingrained,
EIGL to a rural workshop in Wulkow,
experience.
Still, I had to do my job. The weeks
alone and decided to head back Harnessing local
knowledge
home earlier than planned. The Hans Windbichler, regional
ahead were tough. I felt isolated and
Eigeninitiative Lesachtal (EIGL)
East Germany. Hans liked the idea
but as a dairy farmer had to milk his
cows twice a day. He invited me to
represent the region instead.
bus home wound along seemingly manager in the early 1990s, was endless curves laced by steep trying to put in place the regional the urban, scientific and academic
slopes. I remember clearly wishing development plan. Hans had to take background was not the typical
this trip would finally end. Now, over over the family farm from one day face of European rural life on the
a quarter of a century later, I have to the next after his father passed international stage. It was a chance for
been living here for 15 years and away suddenly. He was thus unable me to represent an area I had come to
these endless curving roads fill me to do further education or training love quite dearly. Both Hans and I had
with a feeling of coming home... and had no professional experience confronted our stereotypes and off to
What changed? It takes courage in regional development. Crucially Wulkow I went.
This was a big deal. A woman, with
117