The LTSER platform Eisenwurzen represents both a natural space and a historically developed social and economic area. It does not correspond exactly to federal county borders but extends over 91 municipalities and a total area of 5,904 km2 in the counties of Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria. 80 % of the LTSER platform are part of the Northern Alps, 11 % of the area belong to the Northern Alpine Foothills and 9 % belong to the Central Alps. Altitudes range from 167 to 2,515 m a.s.l. The climate type is Continental. Depending on local conditions, annual precipitation values between 730 mm and 2,202 mm are measured. The annual mean temperatures range from -0.8 °C to 9.14 °C. The LTSER Platform Eisenwurzen was established in 2004. A network of already existing institutions (national parks, research centers in the region, etc.) and high-quality documentation (data material) provide good prerequisites for the first Austrian LTSER platform. Research institutions and regional institutions, decision-making bodies and regional management participate actively in the research platform. On one hand, scientists work on sociological and natural science themes in cross-disciplinary teams and in close cooperation with regional populations and their representatives. On the other hand, regional research questions are formulated and – as far as possible - integrated into research agendas. The project results build the basis for sustainable ecosystem management and preservation as well as sustainable regional development. The research projects cover questions of: basic ecosystem research: e.g. at the site Zöbelboden, where long-term monitoring has been carried out into the forest ecosystem on calcareous bedrock.; applied biodiversity and conservation research: e.g. investigation into the impacts of increased forestation upon biodiversity brought about by the retreat of human activity; socio-ecological research: e.g. the Reichraming project, in which a participatively-developed integrated model shows what impacts both internal and external factors have upon material flows, community structure and agriculture;

An energy balance station has been operating in the immediate vicinity of the Defreggerhaus since August 2020.

In 2019, an automatic weather station was built on behalf of the hydrographic service Salzburg. This station is energy self-sufficient. At this station, air temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind strenght, wind direction, snowdepth, irradiation and radiationare measured.

Umbrella site of Rofental - Austria, Obergurgl - Austria & GLORIA Master Site Schrankogel (AT-SCH), Stubaier Alpen - Austria