New ways for the state hunting association: challenges and opportunities
<p> <strong> New ways for the state hunting association: challenges and opportunities </strong> </p>
In a recent discussion, Leo Obermair, who has been the managing director of the Lower Austria State Hunting Association since June 1, presented his plans and challenges. His main task will be to represent the interests of the hunters in the best possible way. This includes in particular the training and further education of the hunters, which is more important than ever today. "We have to make sure that the competencies of our hunters will continue to be required in the future," said Obermair.A central concern of the new managing director is to strengthen the connection between hunters and nature. He emphasizes that the hunters as experts are often the best contacts when it comes to preserving our wildlife and habitats. In order to counter the challenges of climate change, it is important to collect data about the environment and animal populations. "This information is crucial to make hunting sustainably," says Obermair.
move to St. Pölten
A remarkable step that the association is planning is to shift the headquarters from Vienna to St. Pölten. Obermair is currently in negotiations for a suitable property, but a fixed schedule has not yet been defined. "We hope to be able to move within the next two or three years," he said.
The challenges are not just organizational nature. Obermair is also confronted with the growing digital feedback from the firearms and meat consumption supporters, especially on social media, where lively discussions often arise. "In urban areas, alienation from nature is noticeable," he analyzed. In rural regions, on the other hand, the paragraph of venison seems to be excellent, which is positive news for the hunters.
Another important topic is climate change. The association organized a symposium this year to promote the exchange of experts. "We have to adjust to the changes in the habitat, since many animal species postpone their occurrences due to the new climatic conditions," said Obermair. For example, the gamswild has already shown changes in behavior by moving into lower, shady layers.
In order to make the habitats for wild animals more resilient, the hunters begin to create and plant water points. These measures are intended to help alleviate the effects of weather extremes such as floods. Obermair emphasizes that barriers to floods, such as hedges, can be crucial to protect vegetable habitats.
Current challenges
A explosive topic remains the assessment of the damage by recent flood events. Obermair expects the detailed data on the wild stocks to be available by the end of January. However, initial feedback indicates that the negative effects, especially wild boar and deer raids, were serious. "The animals suffered from the changed climatic conditions," he said.
A relatively new topic is the expansion of the shooting conditions for wolves, which polarizes. Obermair sees this a significant opportunity, but also challenges, since such decisions often cause violent reactions.
The development of hunters is particularly interesting. Obermair reports on an increasing number of women and young people who want to join the association. "We have over 1,000 new test subjects in recent years, of which 25 percent are women," he said proudly.
The low game attempt areas in Lower Austria also play an important role, since various research projects are carried out here to analyze the situation of the vineyard and other species. Obermair is optimistic about the sustainable use of wild stocks, but the natural conditions must always be taken into account.
Overall, the State Hunting Association under Obermair's leadership is determined to adapt to the upcoming challenges and to offer new perspectives for the integration of sustainable practices and education initiatives. more www.noen.at .
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