What exactly is wildlife management, why do we need it, and who is responsible? After a basic definition of the term wildlife management and an explanation of the theoretical background, the interactions between habitat and wild animals were discussed using concrete practical examples.

The "why" lies in the legal mandate, which in Austria is regulated at the level of the individual federal states. These regulations all share the goal of maintaining a healthy and diverse wildlife population while simultaneously minimizing or preventing.
Hunting is therefore not merely about regulating or reducing wildlife populations, but rather is an integral part of society's obligation to achieve these goals.

Global, national, and regional challenges were also addressed. For example, the global forest area decreased by 178 million hectares between 1990 and 2020, while in Europe and Austria, the forest area is increasing. However, this is also due to a very high impact from wildlife in the form of bark stripping and browsing damage to young plants.

Humans themselves, as well as funding frameworks such as the EU's CAP strategic plan, represent essential factors in wildlife management and were discussed in engaging presentations. It also became clear that hunting is practically indispensable in the cultural landscape. Therefore, those responsible for hunting have a clear mandate for wildlife management, even though hunting is by no means the sole player in this process.  

Ultimately, all "landscape users" have a responsibility in this matter, and a holistic approach to wildlife management is needed. This issue must therefore be discussed and ultimately implemented in a participatory manner – on equal footing – by all stakeholders.

A central part of the conference therefore focused on the possibilities for creating wildlife habitats. Presentations on this topic were given

• Role of agriculture and forestry,
• for predation management as well as
• Perspectives for the future of hunting and wildlife management, including the
• Future of non-game wildlife,

The interesting program of the 29th Hunters' Conference in Aigen im Ennstal, featuring renowned speakers, was rounded off, and we cordially invite you to review the conference materials at www.raumberg-gumpenstein.at. For the program committee, Dr. Johann Gasteiner, Direktor

Photos from the first day of the 2024 Hunters' Conference

Photos from the evening event of the 2024 Hunters' Conference

Photos from the second day of the 2024 Hunters' Conference

Program and proceedings of the 2024 Hunters' Conference

All downloads for the hunters' conference