Invasive species such as Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica ) are on the advance in the Wienerwald. Owing to their dominance and rapid spread, the diversity of plant species and thus the resilience of native ecosystems is reduced.

The BPWW Management GmbH’s annual wine award competition ’DER WEIN’ aims at making links between the wine theme and the Wienerwald, because there are excellent wine-growing domains in the far corners of the Wienerwald which are characterised by great landscape diversity which affords a high quality of life.

Since 2007 the re-introduction of the Ural owl has been conducted under the guidance of a team of researchers of the Forschungsinstitut für Wildtierkunde und Ökologie (Research Institute for Game Biology and Ecology) of the Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien (Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna).

The project ’Wiesenmeisterschaft’ (Meadow-Master Championship) has been used annually since 2006 to award the title to people who manage their meadows, pastures and orchard meadows ecologically, and to celebrate the award by bringing these managers into the limelight.

In the course of this Wienerwald BR project, in Co operation with Forstamt und Landwirtschaftsbetrieb der Stadt Wien (MA 49) and ÖBf AG, the wood is sampled several times a year over an observation period of 10 years, trapping, collecting and identifying beetles and fungi respectively.

For a long time, vineyard trees such as peach, almond, cherry, apple, cornel cherry, nuts, beam-tree or true service tree were grown in traditional viticultural landscapes, in orchard meadows or even in avenues. These days you would be hard-pressed to spot any fruit-trees, not only in vineyards but also in the Wienerwald generally.

For centuries, wildcats were part of the native fauna. However, there have not been any sightings of wildcat in the Wienerwald although it would seem to offer optimal Habitat conditions.

In line with the goals laid down by UNESCO, the core zones of the Wienerwald BR are designated to conserve biological diversity, to monitor ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic disturbance and to implement research projects. Through conservation by non-intervention in natural processes, it is hoped that these areas will become the ‘virgin forests of tomorrow’.