Thinking in the long-term. A mission statement for agriculture in a Biosphere Reserve

Agriculture is a prominent part of the Salzburg section of the Salzburger Lungau and Kärntner Nockberge Biosphere Reserve. Forestry, arable farming, grassland, livestock and dairy farming all play an important role. In many areas, such as organic farming, the Lungau region is an Austrian pioneer – at the same time, trends such as the decline of agriculture or price pressure have not spared this region either.

On the initiative of the Biosphere Reserve administration and the district Agricultural Chamber, E.C.O. was commissioned to support a participatory development of a mission statement for agriculture. Together with more than 50 regional farmers, future perspectives, goals and measures were developed in 10 thematic working groups. E.C.O. supported this dynamic process with the creation of a guideline for the working groups, a workshop moderation and the processing and consolidation of the results.