Concrete measures

How Lower Austria wants to fight soil erosion

Unspoiled nature should be preserved in Lower Austria(Bild: Gabriele Moser)

The new soil protection strategy of the federal states remains politically controversial. The "Krone" took a look at the concrete measures planned in Lower Austria.

The vast province is forging ahead with an extremely ambitious soil protection offensive. If implemented in this way, half a million hectares of Lower Austrian soil will be protected - including against the threat of urban sprawl. "At present, only 0.5 hectares of land are being rededicated every day in Lower Austria," explains Stephan Pernkopf, Vice Provincial Minister. Nevertheless, another huge step is now to be taken against land consumption.

"Red lines" in planning
Specifically, 20 regional spatial planning programs are to be reviewed in the coming weeks and approved by the state government in June. The declared aim: a comprehensive pact between the state and municipalities with settlement boundaries and agricultural priority areas. Above all, "red lines" are planned beyond which the municipalities are no longer allowed to dedicate and build.

Every square meter of our land is important for food security. This makes it all the more important to stop any form of soil sealing as sustainably as possible.

Kurt Weinberger, Hagelversicherung

Bild: Hagelversicherung

Also included in the soil protection initiative: regional no-go zones along riparian zones. The landscape and biodiversity zones will also be strictly protected in future. In these paradises, only selected types of development are permitted. Agricultural priority areas are also defined, which are important for the regional food supply.