Decades ago, the Metschacher Moos was drained and converted to agriculture. In 1989, agricultural activities stopped, and the Nature Conservation Department of the Province of Carinthia began long-term research at the site. Monitoring covered the topics of land use, biodiversity and climate change. With the end of the lease in 2020, the decades-long research series was also threatened with extinction. This prompted the "Stiftung der Kärntner Sparkasse" to acquire the 14.6-hectare plot of land.
In the future, the Metschacher Moos will be available to CUAS students and researchers as an open-air laboratory for biodiversity and species protection. The cooperation agreement between the foundation and CUAS was signed on 13 October 2023. CUAS Managing Director Siegfried Spanz and Hans Schönegger, Deputy Director of the "Stiftung der Kärntner Sparkasse", emphasised that a resarch centre with impact far beyond the borders of the wetland will eventually be established. One focus will be on the development and testing of biodiversity monitoring technologies. The Metschacher Moos is envisioned to be available for research from other institutions.