The Eisenwurzen LTSER platform (Austria) - implementation and services

Abstract

The Austrian Eisenwurzen LTSER Platform has been implementing the concepts of long-term socio-ecological research since 2004 to foster sustainable regional development by facilitating scientific research according to regional and local needs. In order to achieve this, scientific expertise from various disciplines for a given region is concentrated and bundled to allow for a better integration of primarily disciplinary approaches into an inter- and transdisciplinary research framework. A better understanding of feedbacks and information flows between the region and science is the main task of the platform. The Eisenwurzen is a region with a long history but fuzzy boundaries, defined rather by the cultural identity of the local population than by natural characteristics. The platform is located in the borderland of the federal provinces of Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria, with a total area of approximately 5,776 km 2. This chapter describes the characteristics and challenges of the region, the implementation process, and the structure and services of the Austrian Eisenwurzen LTSER Platform.