Vienna with Petra Wagner is given a woman at the forest tip for the first time!

Vienna with Petra Wagner is given a woman at the forest tip for the first time!

Wien, Österreich - Petra Wagner was officially appointed the new head of the city and agricultural business of the city of Vienna on May 27, 2025. This was announced by the magistrate director Dietmar Griebler together with personnel and climate city councilors Jürgen Czernohorszky and Manfred Obermüller, the chairman of the Younion. Wagner, who previously worked as a deputy head of department, takes over the position of Andreas Januskovecz, who will now concentrate on his function as a division manager for climate affairs after almost 25 years.

"With Petra Wagner we have a proven specialist at the head of the forestry company," emphasized Czernohorszky, and emphasized the importance of her appointment as a woman in a leadership position in one of the largest forest companies.

about the forestry and agricultural businesses

The forestry and agricultural business of the city of Vienna, also known as the magistrate department 49 (MA 49), plays a central role in the preservation of the recreational forests and the establishment of green connections in the city. The department is also responsible for the sustainable support of the city's own parts of the Wienerwald Biosphere Park and the Donauauen National Park. The tasks also include securing source protection forests in the Rax, Schneeberg and Hochschwab area, which are crucial for the city of Vienna's drinking water.

The MA 49 employed around 380 people and was recognized as the "Austria's forestry of the year" in 2024. The department focuses on improving vegetation as well as humus and land status in the source protection forests.

• area of ​​the farm: 2,500 hectares
• Production of organic field fruits: grain, sunflowers, potatoes
• Viticulture: 48 hectares for the production of red and white wine in the Wien Cobenzl
winery

Wagner’s background and experiences

Petra Wagner, born in Vienna with studying in forestry, began her career at the University of Natural Resources In 2004 she moved to the forestry and farm, where she worked in the areas of public relations and financial management. In 2016 she was appointed head of the economy and has also taken over the management of the association "Lower Austria - Vienna, joint development rooms" since April 1, 2022.

In a broader context, sustainability in forestry is of crucial importance, not only in Vienna, but also global. In Germany, for example, forestry supports the achievement of sustainability goals by sustainable forests. This not only has positive effects on the ecosystems, but also on the climate balance, since the forests play a central role as CO2-Senke.

The challenges for the biological diversity in forests, such as climate change and invasive species, are also the focus of Wagner's new management team, which works closely with university institutions to promote applied research in protection and maintenance measures.

Petra Wagner comes up with a time of change when the needs for sustainable and healthy habitats in urban areas are becoming increasingly urban. Visitors can benefit from the numerous environmental education offers such as forest schools and excursions, which makes MA 49 a leading actor in environmental education in Austria.