Redesign of the Biosphere Reserve Region Neusiedler See
Abstract
Neusiedler See (Lake Fertö) is an extensive cross-border lake, shared by Austria and Hungary. It is the largest salt lake in Europe, with carbonates and sulphates originating from underground water which reaches the surface through fissures in the soil. Halophytic vegetation and a reed belt (Phragmites communities) are of high conservation value. The only major tributary to the lake is the Wulka River which contributes only 20 % to the water body. A special structure in the landscape is a two meter high natural sand dune ridge on the eastern side of the lake. The area of outstanding natural value also includes two separate areas with small lakes and wetlands. These areas are: “Seewinkel”, a complex of approximately forty small, shallow lakes and remnant salt meadows in an otherwise intensively farmed landscape, and “Hanság”, a mainly cultivated area of former fenland. The Biosphere Reserve “Neusiedler See” was founded in 1977 and covers currently only the reed belt of Lake Neusiedl. This rather restrictive designation is excluding large tracts of land with smaller remnants of natural and semi-natural habitats interspersed with the surrounding agricultural landscape matrix. The smal-scale cultural landscape types situated at the western lakeshore are completely excluded. This delineation is reflecting the ideas of the MAB programme in the concept of the 1970s. But it is not congruent with the criteria of the Seville-strategy as outlined in 1992. On the other hand, since the foundation of the BR in 1977, substantial progress in conservation efforts has been achieved by the designation of a RAMSAR site in 1982 and the successful establishment of Austria’s first national park in 1992. Both conservation areas are much larger than the BR and complementing each other in area and management objectives. In addition, a large area of the whole region – including the western lakeshore and its surroundings – has been officially listed by UNESCO as world heritage site for cultural landscape in 2002. These recent developments are posing the question, whether the objectives of the Seville-strategy can be implemented in the BR “Neusiedler See” as the intent to continue MAB-activities has been repeatedly stated by responsible regional mangers, scientists and local politicians. Concerning the recently issued Austrian BR-research programme, one important research task is, whether the role of the Austrian pre-Sevilla type BRs can be re-defined and brought into accordance with the Sevilla mandate (needs for basic ecological and socio-economic assessments for zoning; defining conservation, research, and development tasks). Given these preconditions, the proposed project is aiming at: § The designation and zonation of a substantially enlarged BR “Neusiedler See” that is reflecting the goals of “second generation” BRs § The description of management objectives according to the Seville strategy with a special emphasis on stakeholder involvement and international cooperation § The initiation of a research concept, focussing especially on monitoring programmes, that ensure the continuation of systematic ecological and socio-economic research These goals can be achieved by setting up a methodology that includes: § an interdisciplinary scientific approach, which is based on the cooperation of ecologists, conservationists and geographers, regional and landscape planners § a transdisciplinary procedure, which is involving multi-sectoral key-stakeholders from the fields of regional development, spatial planning, tourism, agriculture and nature conservation § the development of an information system based on relevant and actual ecological and socio-economic data integrated in a GIS.
keywords Regional Awareness Landscape ecology Regional Developement
Publikationen
Landscape perception and functions in the Austro-Hungarian area of the Lake Neusiedl / Fertö
Autoren: Ziener, K., Konkoly-Gyuro, E., Brandenburg, Ch., Tiraszi, A., Puskas, L. Jahr: 2009
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Redesigning the Biosphere Reserve Neusiedler See
Autoren: Wrbka, Th., Brandenburg, Ch., Ziener, K., Renetzeder, Ch., Prinz, M., Stocker-Kiss, A., Kinsperger, A. Jahr: 2009
Forschungsbericht (extern. Auftraggeber)
Project staff
Christiane Brandenburg
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Christiane Brandenburg
christiane.brandenburg@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85312
BOKU Project Leader
31.08.2006 - 31.03.2009
BOKU partners
External partners
University of Vienna, Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology, Landscape Ecology
Thomas Wrkba
coordinator
University Klagenfurt, Institut für Geographie
Karen Ziener
partner