In the research project BioWaWi, German partners are working on the development of indicator-based measures for the conservation of biodiversity in water protection areas. The protection of drinking water is mainly ensured via intact ecosystems and their services (ES), so that clear synergies between nature conservation and water management can be identified. Especially for drinking water plants, water protection areas are essential components of value creation. Only functioning, vital and sustainably developing ecosystems guarantee raw water for drinking water production that is as uncontaminated as possible. Biodiversity and ecosystem functionality must be integrated more strongly than before as intrinsic components in a comprehensive, sustainable and climate-adapted operational management. Considering the challenges of current climate change and biodiversity loss, the BioWaWi project aims to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and ES and to implement an environmental management system for this purpose.
Project tasks and goals
The BioWaWi project aims to record the value of biodiversity and ES and to transfer it into an IT-supported permanent monitoring system using suitable indicators and thus to integrate it into the decision-making processes of municipal companies operating in the field of water management via an environmental management system. For the prioritization of the company's goals regarding the conservation of biodiversity and ES, coordination with local stakeholders is necessary in order to include local knowledge in the procedures and to enable a balance between the various interests of different local groups. By involving other water utilities through the project advisory board, the transferability of the methods and concepts developed here will be explored. The present research program within the framework of a three-year project can certainly be accomplished for a clearly structured water supply company, such as the one from Bühl.
Project details:
Funding: The research project "BioWaWi: Biodiversity and Water Management - Development of innovative options for action for companies in the water management sector to conserve biodiversity and ecosystems", isfundedby the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the funding measure "Valuing and safeguarding biodiversity in politics, business and society" (BiodiWert II).
Funding measure:https://www.fona.de/de/massnahmen/foerdermassnahmen/Wertschaetzung-und-Sicherung-von-Biodiversitaet.php
Funding code16LW0088K
Duration: 01.11.2021 - 30.04.2025
Projektleitung:
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Prof. Dr. Stefan Norra
Institut für Umweltwissenschaften und Geographie
Bodenkunde und Geoökologie
Potsdam Universität
Campus Golm, Haus 12
14476 Potsdam - Golm
E-Mail: norra∂uni-potsdam.de
Environmental Mineralogy & Environmental System Analysis (ENMINSA)
Dr. Elisabeth Eiche
Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften
Geochemie & Lagerstättenkunde
Environmental Mineralogy & Environmental System Analysis (ENMINSA)
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe
Telefon: +49 721 608-43327
E-Mail: elisabeth eiche∂kit edu
Projektkoordination:
Dr. Flavia Digiacomo
Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften
Geochemie & Lagerstättenkunde
Environmental Mineralogy & Environmental System Analysis (ENMINSA)
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe
Telefon: +49 721 608-42758
E-Mail: flavia digiacomo∂kit edu
Project support on behalf of the BMBF:
Dr. Felix Frey
VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH
Dreizehnmorgenweg 36 53175 Bonn, Germany
http://www.vdivde-it.de
