Revitalisation of ecologically important river sections in Austria and the increasing awareness that our rivers are life veins – these were the major aims of the joint initiative by the BMLFUW and WWF.
In total, the campaign provided for the ecological improvement of 500 km of river sections, of about 500 hectares of river banks, of 500 hectares of lowland forests and the creation of 500 hectares of retention areas. Moreover, it was planned to designate ecologically valuable water sections as nature conservation areas.
The results were more than conspicuous! Since the beginning of the campaign on the World Water Day of 1998 most of the "aims of 500" mentioned above have been realised to about 50 percent, and the retention area creation project has been completed to even 80 percent. In addition, the results of the information campaign were highly successful. After 15 model projects and many take-part-events, two festive events at the Stadtpark of Vienna – which proved to be public attractions – as well as two river books, the concept "Living Rivers" has become a well established brand name for innovation in Austrian rivers. The expenditure of about EUR 31,47 million from river engineering funds allowed to increase the number of 33 protected domestic river sections to 44 – in spite of the tight budgetary situation due to flood and avalanche catastrophes! At the same time new river care programmes for about 460 km of river sections were launched.
Aims that have not be realised yet due to the above mentioned nature disasters provided at least experience. Thus, the realisation of complex special aims of nature conservation may require a great deal of time and many an abutting owner "affected" by a project has to be convinced of its necessity. In spite of the end of the campaign Federal Minister Wilhelm Molterer considers its aims, particularly in view of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive as "more topical than ever. Therefore, our Ministry will continue to commit itself both to the further enhancement of ecological awareness and to the definition of ecological minimum standards for all measures of river engineering, torrents and avalanche control and to increasingly try to realise ecologically oriented model projects with partners."
(Source: aqua press Int. 2/2001)
Information & Contact:
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW)
Stubenring 12,
A-1012 Vienna
Tel. +43 1 711 00-7542,
Fax +43 1 711 00-7502
