KoWiF

Collaborative Restoration of Agricultural Wetlands

The central question addressed by the KoWiF project is how to accelerate and support the improvement and conservation of biodiversity in agricultural wetlands in Austria. The restoration of wetlands is particularly effective, as it often contributes simultaneously to biodiversity conservation (habitat restoration) and climate change adaptation (water retention), while also serving as an important measure against climate change (CO₂ sequestration). In this context, the water balance is a key factor for the manageability, ecological condition, and greenhouse gas balance of agriculturally used (organic) soils. However, interventions in the water cycle are complex, as they often involve water law issues and the rights of third parties. Consequently, there are bureaucratic hurdles and reservations on the part of landowners that make implementation difficult.

To this end, the goals of the KoWiF project are to implement a site-specific land-use management for water retention, promote biodiversity, store carbon in the soil, reconcile the practical realities of landowners with the public interest, and expand stakeholder communities for the sustainable management of wetland habitats and peatland sites.

To accomplish this, three interrelated approaches are being pursued:

1. Concrete implementation of 12 restoration measures on wetland areas
2. Collaborative development of a practical guide
3. Analysis and formulation of funding recommendations

The KoWiF project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions, and Water Management within the framework of the call LE-77-02-BML-2025.