Research Project A-DUR: Revitalized Riparian Forests -
Multifunctional Dynamics and Resilience
Riparian forests are among the most endangered habitats in Central Europe. To protect Bavaria’s largest contiguous riparian forest area along the Middle Isar, 2,312 ha of state-owned forest were taken out of use and designated as the “Riparian Forests along the Middle Isar” natural forest. To investigate the effects of this change in land use on nature and society, the A-DUR research project was launched in 2024. It is divided into five subprojects focusing on 1) tree regeneration, 2) forest dynamics, 3) species conservation, 4) climate services, and 5) the societal value of the riparian forests along the Middle Isar. The entire project is coordinated by Dr. Anna-Kathrina Eisen at the Bavarian State Institute for Forestry and Forest Management (LWF) in Freising.
Subproject: Societal demands and values of urban forests
As part of Subproject 5, the Chair of Urban Productive Ecosystems (UPE) is investigating the societal value of urban forests. The focus here is on the following questions: 1) How are the riparian forests along the middle Isar used by the public? 2) What expectations and aesthetic preferences does society have regarding urban floodplain forests? 3) What social value do urban forests hold for the public?
Particular attention is also being paid to the dynamics of the floodplain forests along the middle Isar. A wide variety of population groups are also being involved in the research. In addition to technical visitor counts in the area (project partner: Green-Solutions GmbH), various social science methods are being applied, with the participatory approach playing a particularly important role: for example, interested members of the public can participate in data collection and analysis through community science and contribute to the discussion; among other things, projects with school classes are planned, as well as an exhibition at the end of the project to make the results accessible to the public.
More information about the subproject or how to participate: korinna.kappler@tum.de
More information about the collaborative project: Auwaldforschung mit A-DUR
Collaborating Partners:
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Chair of Forest and Agroforestry Systems
Chair of Restoration Ecology
Chair of Hydrology and River Basin Management
Chair of Ecoclimatology
Chair of Sports and Health Education
Chair of Urban Productive Ecosystems
Chair of Strategy and Management of Landscape Development
Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT)
Botany, Vegetation Science, and Mountain Ecosystems
Zoology, Wildlife Ecology, Entomology
Institute for Ecology and Landscape
Applied Site Science and Resource Conservation
Bavarian State Institute for Forestry and Forest Management (LWF)
Bavarian Forest Administration (AELF Ebersberg-Erding)
BUND Naturschutz in Bayern e.V. (BN Freising District Group)
Scientes Mondium UG (SCIMOND)
Green-Solutions GmbH
Duration:
01.02.2024 – 31.01.2029
Team & Contact
Korinna Kappler (PhD-Candidate, TUM-UPE): korinna.kappler@tum.de
Monika Egerer (PI, TUM-UPE): monika.egerer@tum.de
Gerd Lupp (WiMI, TUM - Chair of Strategy and Management of Landscape Developmen): gerd.lupp@tum.de
Funding
A-Dur is part of the funding initiative “Regional Innovation Groups for a Climate-Friendly Forestry and Timber Industry” (REGULUS). The project is funded as part of the Strategy for Research on Sustainability (FONA) of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR). The project is managed by Projektträger Jülich | Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (ptj) (grant number: 033L308).
