Development and History of Ponds in the Austrian Landscape

Carp farming has been practiced in Austria since the 12th century, with a peak in the 16th century. Today it is concentrated in north-western Lower Austria (NUTS 3 region*: Waldviertel) and southern and eastern Styria (NUTS 3 regions*: East Styria and South and West Styria). Ponds are important elements of the cultural landscape, but as the cultural landscape changes over the centuries, ponds disappear and reappear over time. Ponds play an important role in the landscape. They replace lost small water bodies, increase biodiversity and serve to retain and provide water in the landscape. With this in mind, it is worth looking back historically to explore the potential for restoring or revitalising old ponds.
* https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nomenclature_of_Territorial_Units_for_Statistics&oldid=1168714259, 2023-08-09