In the world, intact bogs cover only around 3 percent of the land area, in Austria the area is estimated at around 30,000 hectares. However, bogs bind not only twice as much carbon as all forests of the earth and are therefore of great importance for the climate, but also as a unique habitat of many plant and animal species as well as for the entire water balance.
The preservation of the bogs is therefore a task that not only gives the landowners, but also demands society as a whole. But what contribution can municipalities, civil society and the population make? These and other questions were discussed at the “Moor Dialogforum 2025” and best practice examples with around 100 invited guests were presented at the invitation of Federal Minister Norbert Tettschnig.
„Protecting our bogs is our common task. As valuable carbon and water storage and habitats, they make an indispensable contribution to climate protection and biodiversity. With the moor dialogue forum, we bring together those people who work on solutions in science, practice and politics every day. Only together – with the owners and owners, communities, educational institutions and civil society – can we get these unique ecosystems for future generations“, Said Federal Minister Norbert Tettschnig.
In addition to dozens of experts from science and practice, the climate director of the City of Vienna, Andreas Januskovecz, the head of the Austria, Birgit Mair-Markhart, the chairman of the Agriculture and Forestry in the Austrian National Council, Georg Strasser, and Elfriede Moser, head of section for forestry, worked in addition to dozens of experts from science and practice.
Solemn final event for pilot project on wetlands
The pilot project “Ramsar Wetland Communication Hub“, In the context of which the moor dialogue forum took place. The Common Affairs GmbH, which is owned by the non-profit Federal Foundation Común, took numerous corresponding measures as part of a funding project.
In addition to the implementation of workshops with pupils, educators and forest owners in Carinthia, Styria and Lower Austria, a guide will also be developed as part of the project, which runs until the end of May 2025. This is intended to help use important knowledge of wetlands, for example through forest educators.
In addition, project manager and común board member Sebastian Bohrn Mena: “We now need a new cooperation if we want to preserve nature for our descendants. Ownership committed and this also applies to the public sector. With our project we give an impetus for the formation of consciousness to form the importance of wetlands and hope that the findings will find great distribution.“
The guideline designed by the Austrian forest ambassador Hermine Hackl with the integration of numerous experts will be available until the end of May and then on the project’s homepage at https://wetlandshub.at be available free of charge. There is also a documentation of the project activities, photos for the “Moor Dialogforum 2025” can be downloaded.
The project “Ramsar Wetland Communication Hub“Financed by the Program for Rural Development by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management. With the support of the federal, state and European Union.