Vienna Children's University discovers biodiversity: Breitenlee becomes a natural paradise!

Vienna Children's University discovers biodiversity: Breitenlee becomes a natural paradise!

Breitenlee is currently being transformed from a sleepy railway site into a blooming natural paradise. As part of an exciting nature conservation project, around 100 students from the Vienna Children's University are discovering what biodiversity means and why it is essential for climate protection. The event takes place in collaboration with the City of Vienna and the Children's Office of the University of Vienna and is intended to increase the young participants' awareness of ecological connections. On September 15, 2025, the project, which has the motto “Nature Conservation Area Breitenlee,” will culminate with a biodiversity conference at which children will have the opportunity to actively discuss with scientists and city representatives.

Breitenlee himself has a turbulent past. The former marshalling yard, which was planned to be one of the largest in Europe in the 1920s, had been derelict since 1945. Now a 90 hectare area is being converted into one of the largest renaturation projects in the city of Vienna. Mayor Michael Ludwig and the ÖBB infrastructure board member Silvia Angelo have signed a letter of intent for this. The City of Vienna is acquiring the area with federal support and funds from the Biodiversity Fund in order to develop it into a Natura 2000 protected area, which offers important biotopes and habitats for rare plant and animal species, including the hoopoe, the sand lizard and over 140 species of wild bees.

A place for biodiversity and relaxation

The project will take measures to remove impervious surfaces, eliminate invasive plant species and create new habitats for amphibians and wild bees. The area will not only be promoted in terms of its ecological diversity, but will also serve as a local recreation area and support the cooling of the urban development area in the 22nd district. In the long term, zones for gentle recreation, environmental education and the marketing of local products are also planned. This commitment is additionally supported by EU funding of 60 percent.

“The Breitenlee renaturation project is a prime example of how urban development and nature conservation can go hand in hand,” states Mayor Ludwig. This large-scale initiative aims to counteract the progressive loss of natural habitats. In recent decades, urbanization and economic development have severely affected many natural spaces in Europe. The EU responded to alarming developments more than 40 years ago and passed laws to protect endangered species in order to preserve nature.

The importance of biodiversity

The focus on biodiversity in Breitenlee couldn't be more timely. The overarching challenges that have led to the degradation of nature in Europe are diverse: urbanization, pollution and changes in land use have left their mark over the years. Many of the threatened species that find protection here are unique to Europe and do not occur anywhere else in the world. Breitenlee will therefore not only be a place of biodiversity, but also symbolic of Vienna's commitment to protecting nature and actively investing in the preservation of our environment.

With all of these measures together, the “Nature Conservation Area Breitenlee” project occupies a prominent place in Vienna’s urban development and will be continued over the next few years with a budget of 10 to 15 million euros. The multitude of planned initiatives will certainly ensure that this unique location remains increasingly attractive for people and animals alike.