Landschaftspflegeverein Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken

Landschaftspflegeverein Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken is a non-profit nature-conservation association (gemeinnütziger Verein) based in the Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken region of Lower Austria, with activities extending into Vienna. Founded in June 2017, it works to secure the long-term survival of biological diversity in one of Austria's most species-rich areas. Its self-described vision is "a network of people for a network of valuable natural areas," and its mission is to build a regional network of people and organisations that jointly care for a connected web of high-value habitats within and across municipal boundaries. The association's core programme is the "Netzwerk Natur Region Thermenlinie-Wiener Becken," which it describes as growing steadily since 2017. According to its own reporting, the network currently includes 23 partner municipalities in Lower Austria and 3 partner districts in Vienna, and the association is active in a total of 46 municipalities across roughly 1,518,700 square metres of natural area. It works with municipalities, schools, clubs, companies, farmers and supporters, and its partner list includes municipalities such as Perchtoldsdorf, Bad Vöslau, Baden, Gumpoldskirchen, Pfaffstätten, Leobersdorf, Ebreichsdorf, Traiskirchen, Wiener Neudorf, Reisenberg, Tattendorf, Enzesfeld-Lindabrunn, Bad Fischau-Brunn, Kaltenleutgeben, Moosbrunn and Matzendorf-Hölles, alongside schools, alpine clubs, fire brigades, the Biosphärenpark Wienerwald, the Naturschutzbund Niederösterreich and the City of Vienna forestry and environmental departments. Its practical work focuses on the maintenance and restoration of species-rich habitats such as dry grasslands (Trockenrasen) and wet meadows (Feuchtwiesen), which the association notes have declined by more than 70 percent in the region over the past 60 years. Volunteers and staff use tools such as picks, saws, branch shears and rakes to manage these "top sites" of biodiversity, creating and connecting stepping-stone habitats. The association frames its work around the loss of biodiversity, citing the 2020 UN report and the 76 percent decline in flying-insect biomass in Central Europe over the preceding 27 years. Beyond direct land management, the association runs education and awareness programmes, nature education, visitor interpretation, and corporate volunteering. Its "Corporate Volunteering for Biodiversity" offering invites company teams to work on protected areas and learn about local nature, and it also advises companies on greening their own grounds to support insects such as butterflies and wild bees. It positions itself as a regional, community-rooted and hands-on organisation that mobilises local people rather than waiting for others to act. The association is governed by a volunteer board (Vorstand) and employs staff. Irene Drozdowski is the chairperson (Obfrau) and founder; Alexander Mrkvicka is a founding member and treasurer; Stefan Fischer is a founding member and secretary; Elisabeth Wrbka is deputy chairperson; and Marlene Kothmayer is deputy treasurer. Staff include Norbert Elek, who works on corporate CSR, maintenance appointments, education and nature interpretation. The organisation is a non-profit association rather than a listed company, and it operates primarily in German within its home region.

The Landschaftspflegeverein Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken was founded in June 2017 as a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) dedicated to the long-term safeguarding of biological diversity in the Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken region. Its founding team included Irene Drozdowski, who became chairperson (Obfrau), together with founding members Alexander Mrkvicka and Stefan Fischer. From the outset the association framed its work around a simple idea: rather than waiting for others to act, local people should take the initiative themselves and work together to maintain the region's valuable natural areas. The association's central vehicle is the "Netzwerk Natur Region Thermenlinie-Wiener Becken," a regional network of people and organisations committed to a connected network of valuable natural areas within and across municipal boundaries. According to the association, this network has grown steadily since 2017. It currently reports 23 partner municipalities in Lower Austria and 3 partner districts in Vienna, with activities in a total of 46 municipalities covering roughly 1,518,700 square metres of natural area. Partners include municipalities such as Perchtoldsdorf, Bad Vöslau, Baden, Gumpoldskirchen, Pfaffstätten, Leobersdorf, Ebreichsdorf, Traiskirchen, Wiener Neudorf, Reisenberg, Tattendorf, Enzesfeld-Lindabrunn, Bad Fischau-Brunn, Kaltenleutgeben, Moosbrunn and Matzendorf-Hölles, as well as schools, alpine clubs, fire brigades, the Biosphärenpark Wienerwald, the Naturschutzbund Niederösterreich and the City of Vienna's forestry and environmental departments. The association's practical conservation work centres on the maintenance and restoration of species-rich habitats such as dry grasslands (Trockenrasen) and wet meadows (Feuchtwiesen). It describes these as the "top sites" of biodiversity in one of Europe's most species-rich areas, and notes that more than 70 percent of such valuable and particularly species-rich areas in the region have disappeared over the past 60 years. Volunteers and staff use picks, saws, branch shears and rakes to manage these areas, creating and connecting stepping-stone habitats. The association situates this work within the broader biodiversity crisis, citing the September 2020 UN report on species extinction and the 76 percent decline in flying-insect biomass in Central Europe over the preceding 27 years. Alongside land management, the association has developed education, awareness-raising and corporate engagement programmes. It works with schools, clubs, companies and municipalities to reconnect people with the nature on their doorstep, on the premise that enthusiasm creates emotional attachment, identification, motivation and engagement. Its "Corporate Volunteering for Biodiversity" programme invites company teams to work in outstanding protected areas, learn about local nature and strengthen their team, and it also advises companies on greening their own grounds to create habitats for insects such as butterflies and wild bees, contributing to climate protection. The association is governed by a volunteer board and employs staff. Its board includes Irene Drozdowski (chairperson and founder), Alexander Mrkvicka (treasurer and founding member), Stefan Fischer (secretary and founding member), Elisabeth Wrbka (deputy chairperson) and Marlene Kothmayer (deputy treasurer). Staff include Norbert Elek, who works on corporate CSR, maintenance appointments, education and nature interpretation. The organisation remains a non-profit association rather than a commercial company, and it continues to expand its network of partner municipalities, schools, companies and supporters in the Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken region.

• 2020

  Association cites the September 2020 UN report on species extinction as context for its biodiversity work.

• 2017

  Association founded in June 2017 as a non-profit organisation for biodiversity conservation in the Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Becken region.

• 2017

  Netzwerk Natur Region Thermenlinie-Wiener Becken begins growing steadily from its founding year.

A regional, community-rooted non-profit that mobilises local people, municipalities, schools and companies to preserve and restore biodiversity hotspots in one of Austria's most species-rich regions.

• Netzwerk Natur Region Thermenlinie-Wiener Becken

  A regional network of people, municipalities, schools, clubs, companies and farmers working for a connected network of valuable natural areas.

• Corporate Volunteering for Biodiversity

  Team volunteering in protected areas using picks, saws, branch shears and rakes, with learning about local nature and team-building.

• Habitat maintenance and restoration

  Management of dry grasslands, wet meadows and other species-rich habitats to preserve and connect biodiversity hotspots.

• Nature education and visitor interpretation

  Programmes for schools, clubs and the public to reconnect people with the nature on their doorstep.

• Corporate grounds greening advice

  Advice to companies on ecologising green spaces to create habitats for insects such as butterflies and wild bees.

1. 1Homelandschaftspflegeverein.at
2. 2Vision & Missionlandschaftspflegeverein.at
3. 3Unser Teamlandschaftspflegeverein.at
4. 4Partnerlandschaftspflegeverein.at
5. 5Landschaftspflegeverein Thermenlinie-Wienerwald-Wiener Beckenwikidata.org