Good news for nature conservation in Austria. The BILLA Foundation Blühendes Österreich (Blooming Austria) is the only 2022 finalist from Austria for Europe's most prestigious nature conservation award, the "Natura 2000 Award". Blühendes Österreich has been nominated in the category "Cross-Border Cooperation" for its multi-year efforts to strengthen organisations and farmers in Natura 2000 areas. The award has never gone to Austria before.
The EU Commission has announced 21 finalists from thirteen EU Member States, divided into five categories. Now a Europe-wide voting is called for, in which all citizens of the EU can participate until 27th April 2022. The vote is for the "Citizens' Award", the sixth award in addition to the five awards from the five categories. The winners of all six awards will be announced at a ceremony in Brussels on 18th May 2022.
"With Blühendes Österreich, we established the first and so far, only private non-profit foundation for nature conservation in Austria in 2015. With BILLA, we are committed to natural diversity on our shelves, which also requires healthy nature. The entry into the finals of the Natura 2000 Award is a high distinction for our commitment. The nomination of Blühendes Österreich shows that we are on the right track, even if there is still a lot to do", Elke Wilgmann, CEO BILLA, is pleased to say.
Participate and strengthen nature conservation
An award for Blühendes Österreich is within reach. Here you can take part in the voting for the foundation: https://n2000citizenaward.eu/22037. After submitting your vote, you will receive a confirmation link to the e-mail address you entered. The voting is only valid after clicking on this link.
"We are very pleased to be among the finalists of the "Natura 2000 Award" and to have our work recognised on a European level. The FLORA programme supports committed farmers, associations and initiatives that dedicate their time and energy to the protection of flora and fauna in Austria. With the nomination for the "Natura 2000 Award", the 119 FLORA partners of Blühendes Österreich also receive the more than deserved recognition", says Gábor Wichmann, honorary board member of Blühendes Österreich and managing director of BirdLife Austria. "By working together with FLORA-Partner:innen, the protection of biodiversity and our ecosystems is guaranteed!"
Blühendes Österreich strengthens regional nature conservation in Austria's European protected areas
From 2015-2022, Blühendes Österreich financed municipalities, farmers and organisations in the development, establishment and implementation of their organisational and operational structures as well as in habitat management with almost 1.5 million euros through the FLORA foundation programme. The funding will secure the long-term management and cultivation of 400 hectares of open land and 500 hectares of High Nature Valuable Farmland. FLORA is based on Austria's catalogue of biotope types - the Red List.
Through its cross-territorial and cross-provincial activities, Blühendes Österreich has been able to achieve positive supra-regional habitat improvements and protection of endangered biotopes, priority species and habitats such as dry grasslands, semi-dry grasslands, whistling grass meadows, grassland fallows, field margins, ruderal grasslands, tall herbs, tall grass meadows, mountain meadows. The measures are aimed at protecting endangered and endemic species such as meadow breeders, insects, snails, vertebrates and orchid species in open areas and in cultivated and agricultural landscapes.
The FLORA programme focused on eastern Austria with an emphasis on Lower Austria. In total, the activities covered 28 European protected areas and 45 FLORA partners. In the Natura 2000 sites Waldviertel, Wachau, Wienerwald-Thermenregion, Kalkalpen, Westliches Weinviertel and Steinfeld new nature conservation organisations and cooperations were established through public-private partnerships. By leveraging further partner:ing, the development and establishment of new nature conservation organisations such as "Bergwiesn" in Upper Austria, "freenature" and "Thermenlinie-Wienerwald" in Lower Austria could be significantly supported.
"It is above all the professional and appreciative support services provided by Blühendes Österreich in the area of networking, scientific monitoring, publicity and personal horizon broadening that give a young, regional initiative like ours invaluable impetus and motivation," reports Christian Hatzenbichler, founder and chairman of the nature conservation and mountain farmers' initiative "Bergwiesn". Bergwiesn saves highly endangered biotope types, mainly species-rich one- and two-meadow mountain meadows. These now play hardly any role in agricultural production. The involvement of young people in the management is at the same time a showcase model for voluntary and youth work in rural areas.
Blühendes Österreich provides financial support on the one hand, and on the other hand through nature conservation advice, accompanying press and media work, as well as by leveraging further partners through the Collective Impact approach. In addition to the FLORA programme, Blühendes Österreich has financed further project activities in European protected areas in Burgenland, Carinthia, Styria and Tyrol.
Natura 2000 protected areas for diversity
The Natura 2000 network of protected areas was introduced by the EU with the aim of halting the loss of species and habitats and permanently safeguarding Europe's natural habitats. The network celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and now covers 18 percent of Europe's land area and nine percent of its marine areas. Natura 2000 is the largest network of nature reserves in the world. The activities in the Natura 2000 protected areas not only protect endangered native plant and animal species, but also store 35 billion tonnes of CO2. Thus, the Natura 2000 network also contributes significantly to climate protection. The legal basis for Natura 2000 sites is provided by the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.
According to the Federal Environment Agency, the Natura 2000 network in Austria comprises 350 sites, 272 of which are legally designated as European protected areas. The individual provincial governments nominate corresponding sites and report them to the EU Commission.
About voting for the Natura 2000 Award
This year, the "Natura 2000 Award" is awarded for the sixth time by the European Commission for outstanding achievements in relation to Natura 2000 sites. Until 27th April 2022, all Europeans are invited to vote for the 21 Europe-wide nature conservation projects in the final. The winner will receive the "Citizens' Award". The Foundation Blühendes Österreich is the only Austrian finalist with its FLORA programme. Here you can vote: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/natura-2000-award/current-edition_en. You can vote directly for Blühendes Österreich here: https://n2000citizenaward.eu/22037
