Whether for drinking water, food production, or energy generation, water is a limited resource; its availability depends not only on quantity but, above all, on quality. Keeping our waters clean safeguards our livelihood
Climate-adapted land use is a major challenge for protecting water resources and managing flood risks, and is primarily achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration between research, education, and consulting via so-called knowledge networks. At the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, numerous initiatives are being launched in research and teaching to address this need.
Students specializing in environmental and resource management are once again completing a three-day research internship this year at WasserCluster Lunz and in the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area. Students are writing interesting diploma theses on topics such as flood protection, ecomorphological quality assessment of watercourses, the self-purification capacity of water bodies, microplastics in water, and the recultivation of fallow wetlands for flood retention and biodiversity conservation. They also participate in international projects and conferences on water and flood protection. Interdisciplinary research into climate change and its effects on soil water balance and grassland yields is a key focus.
