Written by: Birthe Uhlhorn, BOKU

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Learning from Biosphere Reserves – Exploring Sustainable Landscapes in the Wienerwald

As part of a five-day seminar organised by the Austrian Student Foundation, participants explored the Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald as a model region for sustainable development and human–nature relationships.

The seminar introduced students to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and the role of biosphere reserves as living laboratories where biodiversity conservation, regional development and education and research are considered together. Through expert inputs, stakeholder discussions and field excursions, participants gained insights into the opportunities and challenges of managing multifunctional landscapes.

Within the seminar, Verena Radinger-Peer (BOKU University) contributed perspectives from the ᴇNᴀBʟS project on the governance of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). Her contribution highlighted how NBS go beyond conservation alone and require approaches that combine the protection, restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems while addressing societal needs. Discussions focused on the governance challenges associated with implementing NBS in practice. Participants explored how different stakeholder interests, land-use demands and policy objectives can create trade-offs between biodiversity conservation, recreation, regional development and economic activities. Particular attention was given to the importance of participatory governance approaches and collaborative decision-making processes for navigating these conflicts and developing sustainable solutions.

The Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald provided an ideal learning environment for examining these challenges. As a protected landscape located at the interface between valuable ecosystems and a growing metropolitan region, it illustrates how conservation goals, sustainable land management and human well-being must be continuously balanced. Through interdisciplinary exchange with researchers, practitioners and regional stakeholders, students gained a deeper understanding of how governance, stakeholder engagement and Nature-Based Solutions contribute to sustainability transitions and resilient landscapes.