Dr Anna-Sophie Pirtscher

Head of the Forest Training Centre Ossiach

Restoration Engineers / Consultants / Practitioners

My Projects
My Focus & Approach
My Journey

My Projects

https://www.bundesforste.at/unternehmen/life-projekt-ausseerland.html

Key project facts
LIFE+ project “Natural woodlands, bogs and habitat network in Ausseerland“.
July 2013 to June 2019.
5.7 million euros, 50% funded by the European Union.
Partners:
- Office of the Regional Government of Styria, Department 14 Water Management, Resources and Sustainability;
- Torrent and Avalanche Control;
- Municipality Grundlsee and Altaussee
What impact did these projects have on biodiversity, if any?
Habitat for stone crayfish and bullhead was enlarged and got connected through the removal of barriers in the river.
What lessons learned are transferable to other places/projects?
The stream bed was made passable and more ecological. Five concrete ground sills were half removed, trees were felled and anchored with steel ropes in the bank area, two barriers were slit open and 26 smaller ones largely removed. All of this was made with big diggers. Sometimes heavy machinery is needed for natural restoration!
What is your biggest barrier and what are you trying to do about it?
It is not so easy to get all the permissions (from nature conservation to water authority), so planning in enough time is crucial.

My Focus and Approach

Lessons Learnt - Some recommendations for others?
1. What’s most important:
  To communicate about the measures beforehand.
2. Do this, not that:
  Make a plan and stick to it.
3. Always start by:
  Looking what is there.
4. What to do when things get difficult…:
  Take a deep breath and then find a solution.
5. 5 simple steps to:
  1. Aknowledge the issue;
  2. Get money and all stakeholders involved;
  3. Take the needed measures;
  4. Implement a longterm monitoring for the results;
  5. Communicate about all of it during the whole process.
The biggest barrier and what I am trying to do about it:
Getting money for measures – find subsidies.

My Journey

My journey:
I studied forestry and my first job in this field was as a project manager of the LIFE+ project. Some of the objectives were to remove barriers and connect habitats fin one river for bullhead and stone crayfish!
My Education:
- University degree as forest engineer.
The Big Change:
Improvement of Natura 2000 sites.
Favourite part of the work I do:
Communication with different stakeholders and the community about nature, forest and bogs.

Interview

Key Topics:

Key Topics

These relate to specific topics (e.g. technical solutions; restoration activities etc.) addressed within the showcase materials.

Involvement of local stakeholders
Awareness raising
Transparent communication
Conflicting views on nature and changes through restoration
Establishing river connectivity by barrier removal
Monitoring success and failure of project

Prone2Success Factors Demonstrated:

Prone2Success Factors Demonstrated

These are the Prone2Success checklist factors which are highlighted within this showcase. More information on the Prone2Success checklist can be found here.

Measurable goals to improve ecological status
Measurable goals to improve ecosystem services
Communicate/engage with stakeholders from the outset
Engage with the local community from the outset
Obtain sufficient finance for all project stages
Restoration works (design) are self-sustaining
Local planning processes are transparent / clearly understood
Ensure stakeholder understanding / education of restoration goals & benefits
Demonstrate specific ecological improvements/legal compliance / communicating results during and after the project

NRL Restoration Categories:

NRL Restoration Categories

These are the restoration categories (listed under Annex VII of the European Nature Restoration Law (NRL) which are relevant to this showcase.

[2] Improve hydrological conditions
[6] Remove obsolete barriers
[7] Re-naturalise river beds
[12] Assist migration of provenances and species
[22] Improve connectivity across habitats
[24] Remove / control invasive species

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