Establishing a complete Biosphere Reserve Integrated Monitoring scheme for the transboundary Biosphere Reserve Salzburger Lungau & Kärntner Nockberge

In June 2012, the NP Nockberge and the Salzburger Lungau region were officially established as "Biosphere Rerserve Salzburger Lungau & Kärntner Nockberge". Thus, it forms the first and largest transboundary Biosphere Reserve in Austria. As basis for the UNESCO establishment procedure, a long-term monitoring scheme - the so-called BRIM_nockberge was already implemented on the Carinthian side. It follows the requirements of the Seville-strategy and the guidelines of BRIM (Biosphere Reserve Integrated Monitoring). In the course of this research project, the existing monitoring scheme shall be extended to the Lungau part of biosphere reserve. Main aim is to establish a complete BRIM for the whole area of the transboundary BSR. The 12 existing indicators of BRIMnockberge will be analysed in terms of transferability. If necessary, indicators will be adapted or substituted by regional ones. The process of establishing the indicators very much keep track of the results and processes of previous the study. At the same time, the Nockberge part of the Biosphere Reserve should be supported in the changeover between test run and routine management. For this, practical problems and the results from the scientific evaluation will be examined systematically and integrated as far as possible into the existing scheme. At that, the set of indicators will be amplyfied by a so-called "yearly indicator screenshot". Periodically, an in-depth scientific close-up of one indicator group aims at deepening the understanding for indicator interpretation for a long-term quality assurance of the slim monitoring tool. In a first run, the socio-economic indicator will be analysed by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna focusing on the topic of social diversity. The results are integrated into an interpretation handbook. Finally, the data, based on the interpretation handbook, are to be prepared adequately for the public. By developing a homepage application, a sustainability barometer will show clearly the indicators` performance over the time. Either Biosphere Reserve managements are very much interested in implementing this project, as it is seen crucial to integrate transboundary aspects of BRIM at a very early stage. By doing this in an coordinated process, there are still certain options to adapt indicators to the regional requirements. The Biosphere Reserve managements therefore would invest measurable contributions in kind as well as in cash.