The Biodiversity Strategy Austria 2030+aims to improve the condition of 30% of endangered biotope types. This requires precise monitoring of quantitative and qualitative changes in habitats and environments, particularly through the assessment of Red List statuses. Currently, relevant data and expertise are dispersed across various institutions and are often inadequately prepared.

Therefore, an expert team from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (UNESCO Chair), the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research at the University of Vienna, and the Umweltbundesamt GmbH intends to collaborate with pertinent specialized firms to establish the necessary groundwork for a comprehensive baseline study. This study will serve as the foundation for future monitoring efforts.

The project encompasses several stages: initially, screening and preparation of Austria's current biotope-related data, followed by the creation of a metadata catalog evaluating the content, structure, quality, and availability of the data. Furthermore, it will summarize and regionally differentiate the current status of data concerning biotope types and their endangerment. A concept for updating the Red List statuses of biotope types in Austria and a synthesis of the current state of knowledge will be developed.

Project duration: January 2024 – November 2024.

Financed by: Biodiversitätsfonds (Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) and the European Union – NextGenerationEU