How is agriculture changing? Where and how is this change becoming visible? What challenges do these changes bring? And why is this important for the development of Hohe Tauern National Park? These and many other questions were addressed during an unusual research trip at the end of May 2022 in Mallnitz, Carinthia, Austria. The three-day expedition took place at ten stations that were directly or indirectly related to agriculture. The group was led by a National Park Ranger and a research assistant from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, in addition to three scientists from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences and three residents of the National Park region.
Book presentation
The experiences from this tour have now been compiled in a book “expedition.nationalpark.2022 – Mallnitz: Landwirtschaft im Wandel”, which was presented to the public on 29 April during the season opening of the National Park visitor centre in Mallnitz. Two participants of the tour gave insights into the book with short readings. A participant of the expedition gave a short interview in which he described his impressions of the format and outlined which results have already been incorporated into the National Park management programme.
Project aims
The transdisciplinary exchange format was carried out for the first time with the aim for different personalities to meet in different contexts, to enter into conversation with each other and to discuss current issues, challenges and development opportunities together.
The new format was developed within the framework of the cooperation between Hohe Tauern National Park Carinthia and Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, which started in 2021. In the coming years, further national park communities will be visited, focusing on diverse topics, people and aspects of management. The expedition deliberately focuses on dialogue and interaction between the regional actors and scientists. It offers a new opportunity to raise awareness of the National Park as a natural, living and economic space. By combining local knowledge and scientific impulses, new perspectives on the National Park are being developed cooperatively.
The book is available in the online shop of the National Park (+43 4825 6161 or nationalpark@ktn.gv.at) at the price of € 19,90.
