Research

2025 - ongoing

Navigating the Land Use Trilemma: Transformative regional solutions for sustainable land management in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss and food production

TriLands overall objective is to present regionally negotiated solutions for the existing land use trilemma.
Addressing this topic from the view of landscape governance and planning, TriLand specifically aims to co-
develop multi-benefit land use solutions ensuring climate protection, biodiversity conservation and
agricultural production.

Client: BOKU University, Vienna (Austrian academy of sciences "Earth system sciences program" - Call 2024)

Factsheets on a biodiversity-compatible energy transition for Austria

• Fact Sheet #02: “Transition to climate neutrality: closing the biodiversity gap”, at: https://www.biodiversityaustria.at/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BD-Hub_Oe_Factsheet_02_Klimaneutralitaet-und-BD.pdf 
• Fact Sheet #03: “Biodiversity-compatible expansion of ground-mounted PV systems”, at: https://www.biodiversityaustria.at/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BD-Hub_Oe_Factsheet_03_Biodivfreundlicher_PV-Ausbau.pdf
• Fact Sheet #04: "Biodiversity-compatible mobilization of biomass for energy production", at: https://www.biodiversityaustria.at/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/BD-Hub_Oe_Factsheet_04_Biomasse.pdf
• Fact Sheet #05: "Biodiversity-compatible expansion of wind energy", at: https://www.biodiversityaustria.at/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/BD-Hub_Oe_Factsheet_05_Windkraft_und_Biodiversitaet.pdf
• Fact Sheet #06: "Biodiversity-friendly optimization of hydropower"

Client: Biodiversity-Hub, Austria. Publications at: https://www.biodiversityaustria.at/wissen/publikationen-2/

2024

Impact analysis of photovoltaic plants on biodiversity, taking into account the diverse natural conditions of the Austrian landscape

Research project to create an empirical knowledge base regarding the effects of photovoltaic systems on biodiversity in the various habitats in Austria.
Funded project: Climate research programme "StartClim". Project work together with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna. Publication at: https://startclim.at/fileadmin/user_upload/StartClim2023/StCl23.B._Final.pdf

2023

EOai4BIO - Earth observation based hybrid artificial intelligence methods for monitoring habitat distribution and diversity
Research project for development of a remote sensing based methodology for the purpose of automated delineation and detection of FFH habitat types, according to Annex I of the Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive of the EU.
Funded project: FFG (Austrian Space Applications Programme - Austrian Funding Agency for Economic Research)

Publication at: https://www.zoobot.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/00_Acta-160_Gesamt.pdf

2018 - 2019

Evidence based vegetation analysis for the Project LIFE+ - Habitats in the  river mouth of the river Traisen (LIFE07 NAT/A/000012)
Documentation of the development of still- and sidewaters and macrophytes.

Project work for: Naturraumplanung Egger (Engineering office for landscape planning)

Publication: Egger G. Weber N. (2019): Vegetationsökologische Beweissicherung im Rahmen des Projekts LIFE+ Lebensraum im Mündungsabschnitt des Flusses Traisen. Endbericht Dokumentation der Entwicklung von Still- und nebengewässern -Makrophyten. Verbund Hydor Power GmbH Klagenfurt. Unter: https://www.life-traisen.at/de-at/informationsveranstaltungen

EO4BTAlp - Earth observation for biotope - and habitat mapping in the alpine zone

Development of a remote-sensing based methodology for habitat (biotope) mapping.

Project work for: Naturraumplanung Egger and Z_GIS

FFG - Projectdatabase: https://projekte.ffg.at/projekt/2808324

2014 - 2015

Environmental quality in the urban and rural regions of Austria and its influence on quality of life

Project work for: The Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Austria.

In: Egartner, S. und Weber, N. (2015): Lebensqualität der land- und forstwirtschaftlichen Bevölkerung sowie Umweltqualität in urbanen und ländlichen Regionen Österreichs. At: https://bab.gv.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1844:lebensqualit%C3%A4t-der-land-und-forstwirtschaftlichen-bev%C3%B6lkerung-sowie-umweltqualit%C3%A4t-in-urbanen-und-l%C3%A4ndlichen-regionen-%C3%B6sterreichs&catid=136&lang=de&Itemid=550

2012 - 2013

Social farming

Project work for: The Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Austria.

Wiesinger G., Quendler E., Hoffmann C., Di Martino A., Egartner S., Weber N., Hambrusch J. (2013): Soziale Landwirtschaft – Situation und Potenziale einer Form der Diversifizierung land- und forstwirtschaftlicher Betriebe in Österreich, Südtirol und Trentino. Bundesanstalt für Bergbauernfragen. Wien. Unter: https://bab.gv.at/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1710:fb66-soziale-landwirtschaft&catid=135&lang=de&Itemid=550

2010 - 2011

Evaluation of changes in the landscape in an alpine habitat regarding selected effects on biodiversity

Project work for: The Nature Park Kaunergrat.

Weber, N. (2011): Impacts of structural changes on the diversity of an alpine landscape. Wien. Unter: http://permalink.obvsg.at/bok/AC08524861