Discussion with the Minister on Preserving Our Moors: A Collaborative Effort

In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of moors and wetlands, the "Ramsar Wetland Communication Hub" pilot project was launched. This project, running until the end of May 2025, aims to enhance communication, raise awareness, and promote sustainable wetland management globally.

One of the key components of this project is the "Moor Dialog Forum 2025", a gathering that brought together individuals working on moor preservation solutions from various fields. Approximately 100 guests, including Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig, attended this event.

Moors, it turns out, play a crucial role in both climate change and biodiversity. They bind twice as much carbon as all the forests on Earth combined, providing unique habitats for numerous plant and animal species. In Austria, the area covered by intact moors is approximately 30,000 hectares, representing around 3% of the global land area.

The project leader, Sebastian Bohrn Mena, a member of the COMÚN board, emphasised the need for a new way of coexisting to preserve nature for future generations. He stated that the project aims to develop a practical guideline to spread important knowledge about wetlands.

To achieve this, the project offers workshops for students, teachers, and forest owners. It also intends to disseminate its findings widely. The project leader believes that ownership carries responsibility, especially for public authorities, and Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig echoed this sentiment, stating that protecting moors is a shared responsibility.

The "Moor Dialog Forum 2025" presented several best practice examples for moor preservation. The event was held as part of the "Ramsar Wetland Communication Hub" project, with the support of the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and various environmental organizations.

The project supporters aim to effectively spread the importance of wetlands like moors by enhancing communication, raising awareness, and promoting sustainable wetland management globally. By doing so, they hope to contribute significantly to the preservation of these vital ecosystems for the benefit of all life on Earth.