Soil protection offensive in Burgenland: Climate fit for the future!

Soil protection offensive in Burgenland: Climate fit for the future!

Climate change does not stop in Burgenland either. The region suffers from longer periods of drought and more frequent heavy rain events, which significantly affect soil fertility. These challenges have led to soil protection becoming more of a focus than ever before. Deputy Governor Anja Haider-Wallner emphasizes the importance of soil protection and emphasizes that the soil protection offensive is part of the “Burgenland 2030 Future Plan”. Measures such as active vacancy management and the establishment of a steering committee for agriculture and sustainability are planned.

Most recently, a soil symposium took place at which numerous experts shared their findings. Among the speakers were Andreas Baumgarten, who discussed the importance of healthy soils, and Claudia Winkovitsch, who addressed the challenges in agriculture. Bernhard Scharf also spoke about the topic of unsealing, while Gundula Prokop gave suggestions for reducing land use. Marcus Keding presented the research results from Burgenland and Martin Grassberger provided information about the health value of fertile soils. Together, the participants developed ideas for future research and practical projects in the region.

Together for healthy soils

A central result of the symposium was the signing of the “Soil Alliance Burgenland” by everyone present. This illustrates the commitment to protecting and preserving the soil in Burgenland. A further step in this direction is the newly launched unsealing competition “Baba, Beton!”, in which all 171 municipalities in Burgenland can take part. The winning project will receive funding of up to 100,000 euros and will be realized in 2026. Project ideas can be submitted until November 30th, so that exciting initiatives can be created by the end of the month.

But what role does the weather play in this context? As the weather forecasts show, Burgenland will face changeable conditions in the next few days. Rain is likely, especially in the early morning hours, and the following days will see temperatures around 57°F and a high chance of precipitation. The effects that weather events have on agriculture and therefore on the soil become clear.

Intestinal health in focus

If you combine soil protection with people's health, the issue of digestive health comes into play. The microbiome, located in the gut, plays an essential role in overall health – influencing the immune system, metabolism and even mood. A balanced diet rich in probiotics and fiber is crucial to promoting this balance. Foods like kimchi, ginger, yogurt and apples are ideal companions for healthy digestion.

Problematic symptoms like chronic constipation, bloating, and lack of sleep can be signs of poor gut health. Many of the food highlights just mentioned that strengthen the microbiome can help here. When you consider how everything is connected, from soil to food to health, it becomes clear that we need to take a holistic look at these issues.

Burgenland has the potential to act as a pioneer in the area of ​​soil protection and sustainable agriculture. However, the path to get there is rocky and requires a joint effort from politics, agriculture and the population.

For more information about the soil protection offensive and the planned measures, you can visit kommunal.at. Current weather forecasts can be found at weather.gov, while useful tips to support your microbiome can be found at prevention.com.