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--BAW-IWB.jpg/jcr:content/20250506_Vranov%20(c)%20%20BAW-IWB.jpg "View from the shore of a river, across which two lines are spanned, with which measuring boats are pulled. Vranov nad Dyjí Castle on a rock in the background.")
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--BAW-IWB.jpg/jcr:content/20250506_Messung(c)%20%20BAW-IWB.jpg "Looking over the shoulder of a colleague at the river on which a measuring boat is being towed across the cross-section. The measurement results are tracked on a laptop.")
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-BAW-IWB.JPG/jcr:content/20250506_ADCP%20(c)%20BAW-IWB.JPG "A red measuring boat floats close to the shore with a blue acoustic measuring device (ADCP).")
© BAW/IWB zoom gallery
The FAO has officially recognized the Waldviertel carp pond farming as a “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)” - the first in Lower Austria and the northernmost GIAHS in the world. This award recognizes a centuries-old, sustainable farming system that combines food security, biodiversity and cultural identity.
The reasons for the award:
- Regional food security through high-quality carp
- Ponds as hotspots of biodiversity and water reservoirs
- Traditional knowledge passed down through generations
- Social and cultural anchoring - e.g. through the Christmas carp
- Unique cultural landscape with over 2,000 ponds that has shaped the Waldviertel for over 900 years
This recognition is not just a look back, but above all a mission for the future: the GIAHS initiative stands for the further development of living cultural landscapes - especially in view of challenges such as climate change.
Our Federal Office was also represented with an information stand on the day of the official award ceremony. A significant contribution to the successful application for the cultural heritage comes from the work of our Ecological Station in the Waldviertel, which has always focused on near-natural and sustainable pond management.
We pass on this knowledge in seminars, courses and vocational training. In times of climate change, this work becomes even more important - because our federal office supports pond farmers in making their management climate-ready for the future.
The role of our Federal Office in training and the importance of sustainable management for the preservation of the approximately 2.400 ponds in the Waldviertel region were discussed in an expert interview.
The Federal Agency for Water Management is proud to be able to contribute to the preservation of this unique cultural landscape.