About the Journal
The journal Carinthia Nature Tech (Carinthia II/ Part 3) is designed to meet today’s scientific literature standards by creating a new pathway of dissemination for natural science researchers of the Alps-Adriatic Region of Europe. This journal, co-managed by Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS) and the Natural Science Association of Carinthia (Naturwissenschaftlicher Verein für Kärnten, NWV), is a new iteration of the long-standing series Carinthia and Carinthia II/ Parts 1 and 2.
The journal Carinthia, founded in 1811, is the oldest scientific journal in Austria and among the oldest in Europe. The NWV was established in 1848, nearly 40 years after the original journal. In 1891, NWV assumed management of the then-renamed journal Carinthia II. The year marked the first renewal of the original journal Carinthia, and the journal has served as a repository for natural science research in Carinthia ever since. Since 1988, Carinthia II has been published in two parts. Carinthia II/ Part 1 is the popular science section, written at a level for general understanding by laypersons, focusing on natural science research occurring in Carinthia. Carinthia II/ Part 2 encompasses the scientific section, serving as a medium for documentation of natural sciences with a focus on Carinthia and neighbouring regions of the Alps-Adriatic in Mediterranean Europe. Carinthia II is in its 134th year and issued its 156th volume in 2024. All articles are open-access. Printed issues can be found in the Office of the NWV Secretariat, and volumes dating back to 1891 are available online in the ZOBODAT database (Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank). All articles in Carinthia II/Part 1 and Part 2 are published in German.
The primary mission of NWV is to advance the study of natural sciences in and around Carinthia, providing a platform for scientists, researchers, and nature enthusiasts to collaborate and contribute to the conservation of the natural environment in Carinthia. Eleven working groups focus on different fields of natural science. With nearly 2,000 members, the association actively engages with partners worldwide through the journal Carinthia II, fostering scientific exchange and collaboration on a global scale.
CUAS established a new research centre for nature and environment in 2024. The research centre focuses on five core areas: 1) technologies for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate action, 2) environmental monitoring, 3) applied research on Man and the Biosphere, 4) eco-positive construction, 5) applied environmental research data science. The research centre offers educational programmes in the field of nature conservation (three Bachelor’s Programmes; one Master’s Programme; and two Certification courses). Protected areas and model regions of sustainable development are central to the development of the centre. Connections with international partner networks including UNESCO, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and EUROPARC Federation ensure high visibility.
The cooperation between NWV and CUAS in the management and publishing of Carinthia Nature Tech will strengthen Carinthia as a long-term leader in learning and research for sustainable development and nature conservation technologies. Public and private Carinthian institutions have already been involved. With the experience of the first published issue, contributions will not only be sought from Austria-based researchers, but also from groups in the wider Alps-Adriatic region including northeast Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. Internationalization of contributions will strengthen the geographic scope of the journal. Potential contributing institutions include public and private universities, natural history museums, regional governmental and non-governmental research agencies, private research and development firms, public authorities, and management agencies of protected areas. The involvement of such stakeholders showcases the Alps-Adriatic region as an exceptional location for research on conservation technologies. Diverse partners on the editorial board will support international visibility, thereby helping to promote Carinthia Nature Tech as a high-impact journal in the years to come.
