The international research project ActSustainably investigates how institutions, social norms, and diverse societal values can enable sustainable transformations in human–nature relationships. The project focuses on the governance of grasslands across Eurasia—one of the largest yet increasingly threatened terrestrial ecosystems worldwide.

The project officially launched last week with a kick-off meeting held in snowy Vienna. Researchers from Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan came together to begin their collaboration in the three-year project. ActSustainably is supported through the Biodiversa+ partnership by several national funding organizations. The Austrian team is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

Within the project, the BOKU team will focus in particular on research in Austria and South Tyrol, working closely with the international partner institutions.

BOKU-Team: Katharina Gugerell, Thomas Thaler, Julian Janisch & Hannah Fäßle (all from ILAP)

18.03.2026