Ambassador profile

 

  Name:
Wolfgang Mattes
Dipl.- Ing. Univ.-Lekt
  Function: Head of Department National Parks Federal Environment Agency Ltd Austria
www.umweltbundesamt.at
office(at)umweltbundesamt(dot)at
  Country: Austria
  E-mail: wolfgang.mattes(at)umweltbundesamt(dot)at
  Tel: +43 13130 43171
     
     
 

Organisation profile

 
  Organisation: Truppenuebungsplatz ALLENTSTEIG
  www: www.bmlv.gv.at
  E-mail: tuepl.allentsteig(at)bmlv.gv(dot)at
  Tel: +43 28422 10
  Established: 1957
  Category: Federal Government
Site profile
  Site name: Vogelschutzgebiet Truppenübungsplatz ALLENTSTEIG (Truppenübungsplatz ALLENTSTEIG)  
  Location: Northern part of Lower Austria (“Waldviertel”)  
  Land area: 15,600 ha  
  Nearest urban settlement: Stadt ALLENTSTEIG  
  Natura 2000 ID: AT 1221V00 (the ordinance is still in discussion, not effective yet).  
  www: www.noel.gv.at/Service/RU/RU5/Natura2000/Natura2000.htm  
  Site description:

The typical landscape is composed from different types of biotops, from Dry grassland & fallow ground, Humid meadows, Reed beds, Ruins of former villages, Birch (Betula) & aspen, (Populus) groves, Water courses with natural dynamics, and Scot pine forests (Pinus silvestris)

 
       
All species
  Species code Latin name Common / local name
       
    Ciconia nigra Schwarzstorch
    Haliaeetus albicilla Seeadler
    Circus pygargus Wiesenweihe
    Crex crex Wachtelkonig
    Dendrocopos medius Mittelspecht
    Lullula arborea Heidelerche
    Sylvia nisoria Sperbergrasmucke
    Luscinia collurio Neuntoter
    Tetrao tetrix tetrix Birkhuhn
    Circus cyaneus Kornweihe
       
Priority habitats
  Habitat code Common / local name
     
  None  
     
Stakeholder profile        
     
  Stakeholder activity in the management planning process:
     
  Stakeholder group activity level
  hi ←        → nil
  Local Government        
  Central Government        
  Scientists        
  Private landowners        
  Foresters        
  Farmers        
           
Stakeholder success stories
   
 

Scientific Monitoring as a basis for the management plan (1990)

  • Getting permission to conduct an interdisciplinary monitoring on a strictly closed military training area in Austria (finished 1990). This was the broad basis for further discusssions and actions to be taken.
  • Convincing sceptical keyplayers in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) such as superior authority and other government departments (of the Army) about the idea of harmonising military training and nature conservation.
  • Implementing an ecology unit in the organisational chart of the training area . The "Ecology Officer" together with a warrant officer is responsible for all nature conservation targets on the training area. He also coordinates the monitoring of scientists in line with the specification of the Ecology Department of the MoD.

 
   
 

Raising the public awarness within the Ministry of Defence/ outside of the Army about the quality importance of the site.

  • With a widespread Newsletter ("TUEPL Rundschau"). For many years, each edition has an "Ecology Corner" explaining the different natural assets of the site.
  • The Ministry of Defense edits an "Environmental Calendar" every year with pictures of the natural assets and detailed explanation on the final page.
  • Lectures about "Military training and Nature conservation" at the military school for logistics for the environmental staff of the Army.
  • Producing brochures about Natura 2000 and leaflets focusing on "Military training and Nature conservation"

 
   
Photo credit: Wolfgang Mattes
Communication profile
 

Activities and products for the communication of Natura 2000

 
  Events
 
 
✓Workshops
✓Guided visits (Military training area with shooting ranges, live fire !)
✓Other: Lectures and scripts for Military staff

 
  Event frequency
 
 
✓A few times a year

 
  Use of seasonal workers / volunteers
 
 
✓No

 
  Communication literature produced
 
 
✓Posters
✓Other: information leaflets about “Military training and Nature Conservation” (only in German)

 
  Communication target groups
 
 
✓Stakeholders
✓Other: Environmental officers of the Austrian Army

 
  The organisation has a dedicated communication strategy for Natura 2000
 
 
✓Yes for all Austrian Military training Areas in general, and for each specific site too.

 
  Description of communication strategy
 
 
  • Newsletter of the command ("TUEPL Rundschau") with Ecology Corner
  • "Environmental Calendar"
  • "Environmental Poster's" Nature Emeralds of the Austrian Army
  • Lectures about "Military training and Nature conservation" for environmental staff of the Army
  • International Symposium "Military training and Nature conservation" 2 days with excursion to ALLENTSTEIG ~ 5.- 8. November 2007 (date not fixed jet /16 Juli 07)

 
  The communication materials are produced
 
 
✓At the site and at the central office

 
  Site involved in joint working / networking
 
 
✓Yes, but not official

 
  Details of joint working / networking activity
 
 
Site visits to other Military training areas, taking part in international workshops about Natura 2000.

 
   
Site management profile
"Military training and Nature Conservation, using the example of the training area TÜPL ALLENTSTEIG"
   
  Key site management issues:
 

 

Implementing a military landscape management plan ("Militärischer Raumnutzungsplan") for the training area harmonizing the goals of Military training, Nature Conservation, Forestry and Agriculture. This military landscape management plan is official equivalent to the Natura 2000 management plan due to Paragraph 9 para 5 Lower Austrian  Nature Conservation Act from 2000.

 
  Integration of Natura 2000 in overall site management:
 

 

It is the main goal of the landscape management plan (“Militärischer Raumnutzungsplan”).

 
  Key site management objectives:
 

 

  • Involve the Ministry of Defense/ responsible Commanders of the troops
  • Resolve problems with nature conservation NGOs

 
  Stakeholders targeted as part of management action:
 

 

  • To integrate the military forest directorate within the aims of Natura 2000 and convince them about the advantages of Nature Conservation.
  • To inform the penantry (Farmers who rented farmland on the training area) about the goals of nature conservation and to implement Nature Conservation by contract ("Vertragsnaturschutz").
  • To implement grazing as a management method coordinated with the live fire training.
  • To cooperate with NATO Environment and Nature Conservation working groups in the frame of PfP (Partnership for Peace).

 
  Description of work carried out / methods and methodology:
 

 

  • Designing a landscape management plan (“Militärischer Raumnutzungsplan“);
  • Raising public awareness of the key players within the Ministry of Defense and military staff in general

 
  Results of action and activities:
 

 

  • No problems with the nature conservation goals any more.
  • The situation is improving as the commanding officers better understand the issues.
  • The importance of Natura 2000 is becoming self evident even with very skeptical foresters and other staff.

 
   
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Truppenübungsplatz Allentsteig: AT