Abstract Body

Long before the times of lockdowns and travel restrictions, we knew about the benefits of green spaces and fresh air. Yet restrictions drew our radius closer to home, and so the Viennese population too started flocking to their own doorstep: the Vienna Woods. However, the increased use of the area for recreation by the urban population are leading to growing number of conflicts between sustainable land use and recreational use addressed by different stakeholder groups. Whether through active rule breaking or merely unknowingly, users of this sensitive landscape have a(n negative) impact on the forest ecosystem and thus stirred new debates on conservation and monitoring strategies to adapt to the new normal. The stakeholders influencing use and conservation of the Vienna Woods (e.g. tourism and athletic associations, forest services, local government, etc.) follow a variety of goals ranging from pure nature conservation to improving usability for recreation. As the assumption remains, that use of these areas is a trend to stay. The question was posed, how the arising user conflicts are being adapted into strategies and policies and to what extent monitoring is implemented to maintain sustainable use of the Vienna Woods.

In order to create a comprehensive picture of the (conflict) situation, a mixed-method approach based in the field of environmental and landscape planning was used. First a media analysis and investigation of visitor statistics were used to determine how visitor behavior and trends have developed since March 2020. Following this, stakeholder analysis used to identify new and rising conflicts and the areas in which they occur. Finally, a policy analysis was conducted to identify how new trends and conflicts are being addressed in local strategies.

This contribution displays the changes that have rapidly occurred and concludes with recommendations on how local authority can improve strategies to protect peri-urban recreation areas and which aspects need closer monitoring to ensure future sustainability and uphold the invaluable function the Vienna Woods have for the urban population.