Together with colleagues from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences inVienna, Lund University, the Bavarian State Institute of Agriculture and the University of Würzburg, Stefan Kirchweger has published a paper on “Do improved pollination services outweigh farm-economic disadvantages of working in small-structured agricultural landscapes? – Development and application of a bio-economic model” in the journal Ecological Economics. Using a spatially explicit landscape model, it is shown that an increase in agricultural field sizes leads to a significant decrease in pollination by wild bees and thus to lower yields on pollinator-dependent crops. This has a negative effect on agricultural revenues. In contrast, it is shown that the management of larger fields results in lower production costs and that this cost reduction is higher than the decrease in revenues. It is concluded that economic incentives and innovation will be needed in the future in order to manage small-scale farming structures profitably.
STUDIA celebrates its 50th anniversary on 4 October 2019. In 1969 Johann Millendorfer founded the study group for international analyses. Since then, many people have contributed to the success of this research institution: Employees, members of the board and association, business and research partners, sponsors, communities and public institutions. At locations in Vienna, Laxenburg and Schlierbach, STUDIA has dedicated itself to system analysis and supports those responsible in politics, business and society.
Program (inlcuing broadcasts of selected items):
Come together
Welcome address (Mag. Johannes BRANDL, Spes GmbH, Member of the Upper Austrian Landtag Dr. Christian DÖRFEL, Superintendent Dr. Gerold LEHNER)
Hans Millendorfer and his life(DI Heidrun FILZMOSER, Professor i.R. Dr. Gerhart BRUCKMANN)
STUDIA employees and current projects (DI Hannah POLITOR, DI Dr. Stefan KIRCHWEGER)
“The dawn of life – Why the culture of cooperation determines prosperity”, keynote address (Erik HÄNDELER, Wirtschaftsjournalist, Germany)
Panel and audience discussion (Fritz AMMER, Zeitbank 55+, Mag. Bettina LANCASTER, Mayoress and Federal Councillor, Dr. Dieter GOPPOLD, District Governor, Mag. Doris STAUDINGER, Entreprenuer)
Closing statement and outlook (Dipl.-Math. Wolfgang BAASKE)
Managing director of SPES Mag. Johannes BrandlSuperintendent Dr. Gerold LehnerGave an inspiring keynote speech: Erik HändelerErik Händeler presents LILA principlesDI Heidrun Millendorfer talked about her father Dr. Johann Millendorfer” widthDI Peter Jungmeier (right) introduced the STUDIA researchers DI Hannah Politor and DI Dr. Stefan Kirchweger (middle). At the left side: freelancer DI Eva SeebacherThe audienceDr. Johannes Pfaffenhuemer, Bezirkshauptmann Dr. Dieter Goppold, STUDIA Obmann Dipl.-Math. Wolfgang Baaske, Landtagsabgeordneter Bgm. Dr. Christian DörfelHead of the Board of STUDIA Dipl.-Math. Wolfgang Baaske, Gretl Millendorfer, Christiane UnderbergMichael Stüve and Gretl MillendorferHead of the Board STUDIA Dipl.-Math. Wolfgang Baaske and Prof. i.R. Dr. Gerhart BruckmannDiscussions at the buffet (Maria Baaske, BSc., Ondrej and Paola Gelnar, v.l.n.r.)Head of the Board of STUDIA Dipl.-Math. Wolfgang Baaske explains the regiona mobility project EBIM to DI Alois Aigner (right)DI Dr. Stefan Kirchweger and DI Otto Hofer (BMNT)
Wooden modular furniture from National Parks: International competition for more sustainability in the region.
An international competition of ideas will create more sustainability in regions of Upper Austria and Bavaria. Typical wood resources will be used for producing high value furniture. European universities for design will be invited for finding new modular design elements as a basis for furniture series.
The project is funded under the Program ‘INTERREG Bayern – Österreich 2007-2013’ by the European Union and the European Fond for Rural Development, and is as well as co-financed by the government of Upper Austria.
SUSTAINGAS aims at promoting sustainable biogas supply by positioning sustainable biogas products from organic farming.
Biogas is an important renewable energy vector with impressive growth and installation rates in the EU. However, production of biogas from organic farms is not sufficiently exploited up to now.
Today, organic farming is gaining importance in the EU providing a significant potential for sustainable biogas production. This potential has not been addressed sufficiently so far and these kind of farms are also in disadvantage as they have higher production costs. There are also concerns in the organic farming community regarding the potential impact of the anaerobic digestion process on the natural cycle. SUSTAINGAS will create a concrete model that can be applied in organic farming. Steps foreseen: set-up of a strategy to address the demands and barriers for an increased biogas production in organic farming; the elaboration of sustainability standards for biogas production in organic farming; the identification of best practice examples; the training of organic farmers and their representatives, biogas consultants and associations; and communication to the consumers.
Old aged people may participate in societal life for a long time – but they may need structures supporting them.
The ‘Zeitbank55+’ model is such a structure, based on mutual confidence and help. In cooperation with the association of “Zeitbanken”, the German SPES e.V. and the Czech centre TOTEM-RDC in Pilsen the immaterial as well the socio-economic effects of the model has been quantified.
Keeping in mind the 1945 march of death of Hungarian Jews and other disenfranchised, and encouraging civic courage in the regional population, a holistic approach.
The European Project is maintaining remembrance for the march of death of Hungarian Jews and other disenfranchised, and encourages civic courage in the regional Population. See also www.einhalt.eu.
Inscription on the floor in the center of the memorial.
The pilot project “Courageous Community” in the municipality of Ansfelden aims at securing social peace in a respectful and helpful cooperation.
The model Courageous Community
promotes social peace and a respectful and constructive cooperation and is aimed at cities and communities. The ability to act is strengthened from an attitude of esteem. Unwanted behaviour such as violence, vandalism, disrespect and discrimination are countered. Positive effects on security and the sense of security in the communities can be observed. The Courageous Community model requires the use of resources: local institutions and civil society are integrated into a network, citizens are involved, and – last but not least – values must be practiced and measures developed from them. As part of the project, a programme was developed that turns a community into a courageous community. To this end, the “New Authority” approach, which has already proved successful in the “family” and “school” systems, was transferred to the context of an Austrian municipality.
The project has developed a tool for social peace in communities with which citizens can create a respectful coexistence.
Energy saving, citizen-friendly and automated mobility is the key to sustainable development. The aim of this study is to compile a strategy suitable for implementing the automated citizen mobility innovation plans of the future that will be economic and primarily powered by renewable energy. The study will comprise energy production methods ranging from storage to use.
The project team
Existing situation:
Steyr-Kirchdorf is a region that faces major challenges in its multiple roles as an Alpine natural heritage area, an important economic location and a settlement zone. Economic operation of the regional public transport network – the ÖPNV – is frequently not possible when use intensity is low, a situation resulting in a weak transport provision. Against this background households in thinly settled rural areas here are thus under pressure to maintain at least one car in the family. Since the personnel costs in regional bus transport represent over 50% of the total operating costs equation, a self-driving vehicle operation is a clear option for improving efficiency. The use of robotics in combination with environmentally friendly electric mobility opens up the possibility for making public transport significantly more flexible and intensive in its services and to make the region significantly more attractive in the process. The technologies for achieving a fully automated public transport system have already demonstrated their functionality in some specific areas of application and are on the point of a final technical break-through to market maturity. The constraining factors for this lie in social acceptance and cooperation as also in the coordinated application of the technologies logistics, route planning, safety and communication requirements involved. Contents and objectives:
The implementation of a model region in which an automated self-driving mobility based primarily on renewable energy carriers can be made clearly visible, will give impetus to and help innovations to take off here and beyond the borders of the region. The fundamental innovative content of this exploratory study plan is in the installation of a social process the “mobility laboratory”), which will steer the discourse of all the parties involved while also bundling each of the essential forces required for making implementation a practical reality. The idea of establishing open technology laboratories (“living labs”) is provided with a special focus here: automated mobility powered by up to 100% with renewable energies. Mobility laboratories have an established practice record in urban areas, but have not yet appeared with this focus in rural areas. Methodical approach:
The applied methods are:
• technology portfolio analysis
• desktop work for analysis and evaluation
• presentations and workshops including experts Expected results:
The targeted outcome here is a scientific, technical, organisational and economic overall concept for implementing a rural forerunner and flagship region for automated self-driving mobility based fundamentally on renewable energy carriers. The project cluster is intended to comprise ways and means for the generation and storage of energy through to its usage in innovative transport systems (above all with an ICT focus). A particular priority will be to spotlight and develop the acceptance factors for technical solutions within the population. The overall concept comprises a strategy including a description of the region, a schedule plus an account of the economic feasibility, preparation of suitable consortia, defining cooperation and management structures, the definition of planned R&D work and establishing implementation plans in consultation with all the participant groups involved. An energy-saving, citizen-friendly and self-driving automated mobility is the key to sustainable development here. The new technical possibilities comprised in this plan have the potential on appropriate acceptance, of making a significant contribution to strengthening the rural region.
LTSER stands for Long-Term socio-ecological research. STUDIA is the node for LTSER communication in Upper Austria.
Local actors should become aware of the opportunities related to the platform, e.g. as a source of information, innovation and knowledge, as a clearing node for research questions, and partner for research and educational co-operative projects.
To be able to live within one’s own four walls as long as possible is an important concern for most elderly people. Meals on wheels is an important offer that makes this wish a reality. “If my mother is not cared for, she must go to the nursing home” This statement is often heard in the social counselling centres of the social welfare association Kirchdorf (SHV).
This is because the offer in the communities of the Kirchdorf district is highly varied. Kremsmünster, for example, is already celebrating the 30th anniversary of its meal service in 2019. Here and in other communities, committed volunteer deliverers take care of the supply. Many communities in the district, on the other hand, are still “white spots” on the supply map. However, the number of older and elderly people is also increasing in these communities. In addition, there are large differences in the prices for menus and deliveries.
Thus the SHV Kirchdorf started a project at the beginning of the year to develop a districtwide service covering the whole area. STUDIA is currently assessing the needs and the existing services in all municipalities of the district. Based on these results – taking into account the successful models that already exist in the district – a concept is to be developed that will enable a complete supply of “meals on wheels” for the entire district at uniform prices and framework conditions. This model will be tested in a pilot region at the beginning of 2020.
Quote Dr. Goppold (Chairman SHV Kirchdorf): “We are very proud of the existing initiatives. The staff do a lot to provide for our elderly at home. However, we would like to be able to provide for all people in need in the district and therefore make the offer better known. We also want to make use of synergy effects and develop approaches for further services.”
The project has developed a tool for social peace in communities with which citizens can create a respectful coexistence.
