Assessing the multifunctionality of alpine and pre-alpine riverscapes in Austria to identify win-win solutions for nature and society

Rivers are important sources of environmental health, economic prosperity and human well-being. For thousands of years, rivers have provided people with food, water for domestic and agricultural use, transport corridors and, more recently, power generation and industrial production. The RiverSpaces project analyses how river spaces are currently used, what uses they accommodate and how they can be designed in the future to maximise the benefits for society and nature. In 5 work packages, river spaces are first delineated and their characteristics described in terms of natural space and socio-economic uses. This data will be combined with socio-economic framework conditions in order to discuss with decision-makers in a case study how river basins should be designed in the future. At the end, the findings will be summarised in order to develop win-win solutions.