Eberhard Stüber Research Station for High Alpine Studies in the Hohe Tauern National Park

The research station and the founding of the national park 
The founding of the research station was closely linked to the creation of the Hohe Tauern National Park. The path to the national park in the 1980s was marked by a tough struggle for general approval, especially in Salzburg and Tyrol. Opposition in the planned national park regions was sometimes fierce.
Eberhard Stüber, then director of the Haus der Natur museum and president of the Austrian Nature Conservation Association, and since 1987 Salzburg's first environmental ombudsman, was heavily involved in shaping public opinion in favour of the national park during this phase. Stüber made a concerted effort to win over young people to the idea of the national park. 

Through high-profile appearances and lengthy discussions, he succeeded in convincing the then provincial governor, Dr Wilfried Haslauer Sr, of the merits of establishing a national park in the Hohe Tauern. During these discussions, the scientific and ecological support for the establishment of this national park by the Haus der Natur was also discussed. As a result, the Haus der Natur was involved in the design and implementation of numerous educational trails and facilities in the Hohe Tauern, including in the Rauris Valley, Fusch Valley, Felbertal Valley, Hollersbach Valley, Obersulzbachtal Valley, Murtal Valley and in the national park areas of Carinthia and East Tyrol. The main focus of these plans was the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, which has connected the three parts of the Hohe Tauern National Park in Salzburg, Carinthia and East Tyrol for more than 90 years. The idea of developing it into a national park road was born. 

A central idea was to create a centre for research in the Hohe Tauern. A vacant commercial building at 2,273 metres above sea level was the ideal location. The basic agreement of the eco-partnership between the House of Nature and Grossglockner Hochalpenstraßen AG (GROHAG) at the time stipulated that GROHAG would renovate the building and later cover the operating costs, while the House of Nature would furnish and maintain the research station. After lengthy discussions with other funding agencies, the research station was finally opened on 16 September 1989. In the 36 years since then, the station has developed into a popular and widely used research base. It has become a central base for scientific work in the Hohe Tauern National Park.

"The research station connects the Grossglockner High Alpine Road with the Hohe Tauern National Park and the House of Nature. Its foundation is directly linked to the establishment of the national park, and it has helped to raise the profile of the national park in the scientific community. Since its opening in September 1989, this research base has done great work for the national park and science. At the same time, the road through the national park has taken on a new dimension and purpose." — HR Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Eberhard Stüber, Director of the House of Nature from 1976 to 2009

Monitoring in the Piffkar Special Protection Area
The first work carried out at the research station focused on documenting the animal and plant species found here. When the Piffkar, the area below the Edelweißspitze and Baumgartlkopf peaks, was declared a special protection area by decree in 1989, a key research question arose: What changes would the abandonment of land use bring about here in the high altitudes of the Hohe Tauern? The idea of a long-term monitoring programme was born. After the initial recording of the plant species, birds, small mammals and grasshoppers found here, long-term population monitoring of selected species groups began in 1990, more than a quarter of a century ago. 

Grasshoppers in the high mountains
While many of these monitoring programmes were discontinued in the early 2000s, one scientist – undeterred by a lack of funding – proved to have particularly staying power. Dr Inge Illich compiled an incomparable time series on the development of grasshopper populations in high mountains over more than 35 years. In doing so, she succeeded in documenting developmental processes that are largely unaffected by humans. 

The upper Piffkar, a high alpine location with extreme climatic conditions, was colonised by five species of grasshopper throughout the entire study period from 1990 to 2025. The long-term impact of global warming led to different reactions among the individual grasshopper species. The range of the common grasshopper, a species with good ecological adaptability, expanded, especially at higher altitudes. In contrast, the northern mountain grasshopper, a species that is particularly well adapted to cold conditions in high mountains, was only ever found at the highest study site at 2,450 metres above sea level. It is to be feared that this species will come under increasing pressure in high altitudes due to global warming, as further upward migration is no longer possible.

The long-term studies also show that the two- to three-year development periods of the alpine grasshoppers studied are one of the keys to understanding their biology. The embryonic development of the eggs laid in the ground takes two or even three years before the tiny larvae hatch and feed on fresh grasses and herbs. This extension of the development period is a necessary adaptation to the sometimes extreme weather conditions in the high mountains.

The long data series also show that grasshopper populations are subject to extreme fluctuations from year to year. Reliable statements on population trends can therefore only be made on the basis of such long-term studies. In addition, the results of the annual surveys of grasshopper numbers in the study areas showed that the abandonment of grazing in the climatically extreme high altitudes of the special protection area had a positive effect on grasshopper diversity.

"Such studies on the natural dynamics of biotic communities are only possible in areas where human influence is minimal. A national park such as the Hohe Tauern National Park offers precisely these conditions. Only here can we learn more about the nature of the high mountains. For me, it was not only a challenge but also a privilege to be able to work in such an area." — Dr Inge Illich, former employee at the House of Nature

Glockner-Oeko-Fonds
In 1993, the Glockner Eco Research Fund was established on the initiative of the then GROHAG board member DDr. Karl Gollegger and Professor DDr. Eberhard Stüber, who subsequently chaired the jury for many years.

"With the Glockner Eco Research Fund, GROHAG has been supporting basic research in the Hohe Tauern National Park for over 30 years. This has enabled numerous research projects in the area around the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. The eco-fund is primarily aimed at scientific start-ups – research approaches whose feasibility and potential must first be explored in a pilot phase. Some of these have gone on to become scientific success stories." — Dr Robert Lindner, Director of the House of Nature and current jury chairman

"For us, the Glockner Eco Research Fund is more than just scientific funding – it is an expression of our responsibility to preserve the unique high mountain world around the Grossglockner for future generations. By enabling research, we are creating the basis for informed decisions in the area of conflict between nature conservation, tourism and infrastructure.’"— Dr Johannes Hörl, CEO of GROHAG

A partnership that continues to this day
Similar to the Sonnblick Observatory, the research station provides a base for a wide range of research work. Just a few metres from the road, ecological processes can be observed here. For more than 35 years, it has been an expression of the partnership between the Haus der Natur and GROHAG institutions.

"For 36 years, the research station has been an ideal base for scientific work in the high alpine nature of the Hohe Tauern. GROHAG has made many things possible with the creation of the research station. From university excursions to long-term studies, from single-celled organisms to alpine birds to glaciers and geological processes. In this way, GROHAG helps us to better understand high mountain nature." — Dr Robert Lindner, Director of Haus der Natur and current jury chairman

"The partnership with the House of Nature has taught us to understand and appreciate high mountain nature even more deeply. Above all, we cannot thank the founding father of the research station, Prof. Eberhard Stüber, and his successors as directors of the House of Nature enough. Research in the Hohe Tauern National Park gives us unique insights into ecological processes that would remain hidden without long-term observation. This knowledge is indispensable for operating the Grossglockner High Alpine Road in the best possible way in harmony with nature and climate protection." — Dr Johannes Hörl, CEO of GROHAG