The nonprofit foundation "Stiftung Edith Maryon" sees its mission in removing, in dialogue with owners and users, land and properties from the stream of commerce and inheritance in such a way that they are no longer objects of speculation but instead made available, permanently but flexibly, to new projects that serve society.
The primary goal in each case – to enduringly secure socially responsible places of residence and work – is to reduce the encumbrance of debt on the property. The Foundation strives to a create a situation of transparency and clarity in regard to questions of land use, and is committed to high-density and mixed-use development, to biodynamic agriculture, and to green building methods.
One concern of the Foundation is the conservation of biodynamically farmed land in order to place it enduringly – over the generations – in the service of this especially sustainable method of farming. Through purchases, donations and bequests, Stiftung Edith Maryon acquires farmland and agricultural enterprises, which are subsequently leased long-term to farmers employing biodynamic methods.
Property acquisition is focused on Switzerland and the neighbouring countries, particularly Germany and Austria. The Foundation owns about 800 hectares farmland in these countries.