Annual Report 2022

Our goals

In the nature park concept of 2019, we have set out to improve the diversity of the cultural landscape of the Wienerwald and to establish additional habitats and refuges for animals and plants in need of protection, as well as to establish nature buffer zones on the outskirts of the city. Furthermore, the nature park should be better adapted to climate change through near-natural stand conversions.

The guideline for the implementation of these goals was our 2019 action plan for the conservation of biodiversity. In it, it was proposed to (a) establish sunlit small water bodies for yellow-bellied toads, great crested newts and other amphibians, (b) create several old-growth wood islands, each approx. 1 ha large with old single trees and strong standing dead wood and thus offer a suitable habitat for oak beetle, woodpeckers and stock dove, (c) restore the Schöffelsteinwiese, (d) establish several sunny dead wood piles to improve the habitat of Aesculapian snakes and sand lizards and (e) release and promote the European bladdernut (Staphylea pinnata) at several locations. Furthermore, a follow-up search for stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium ) and the dragonfly species "Große Quelljungfer" (Cordulegaster heros ) should be started in the Schintergraben by commissioning external experts. 

Our achievements in 2022

Sustainable forest management

In 2020, the municipality as the owner of the forest agreed to our proposal to gradually change the forest utilization from a previous age class utilization to a single utilization and to limit the annual timber extraction to about 100 fm (which is about one third of the sustainable extraction quantity specified in the official harvest plan). After reducing timber removal to 135 fm in 2021 (the first year of the new management) we removed only 10 fm in 2022. This increased the wood supply in the forest by at least 290 fm, which corresponds to a CO2 storage of at least 500 t.

Measures in accordance with nature conservation strategy

In 2022, we continued the implementation of the action plan that has been ongoing since 2020.

In the Schintergraben area, we preserved small wetlands - for example, old tractor tracks filled with rainwater - to make more spawning sites available for yellow-bellied toads and great crested newts. At the existing forest biotope, we filled the almost dry forest biotope with 30 m3 of water at the beginning of April in cooperation with the volunteer fire department as an emergency measure due to the spring drought; this ensured the survival of many amphibians, which need sunny shallow water places for spawning in spring.

Furthermore, we have dedicated two existing old wood islands with old living and dead single trees as “Trittsteinbiotope”. In this way, we want to secure a long-term safe habitat, especially for the great capricorn beetle (Cerambyx cerdo) and the rare black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius).

We have continued and expanded the construction of sunlit deadwood piles already begun in 2021. At the Kellerwiese we have created a new deadwood pile together with the nature park school, and we have also built additional deadwood piles on the Feihlerhöhe and at the nature park center to create additional habitats for snakes, salamanders and hedgehogs as well as overwintering opportunities for important insects.

The Schöffelstein forest meadow has developed well since renaturation began in 2019. In 2022, we contributed to its continued near-natural development by mowing it twice, removing most of the mowed material to further lean the soil, and refreshing the flowering areas. We also worked with our beekeeper to install another hive in the Schöffelstein meadow, encouraging the spread of wildflowers.

We added a climate hedge to the bladdernut site near the nature park center that was planted in 2021. Native woody plants, such as hedge roses and wild cherries, were also added to the new wild bee site at Darüberblick station. For the coming year, we are planning further bladdernut plantings along the Vienna River.

We have not yet implemented the planned follow-up search for stone crayfish and the large spring damselfly by external experts. We aim to do this in the next few years.

“Trittsteinbiotope” for habitat protection

In cooperation with the Federal Research and Training Center for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW), we have designated a Trittsteinbiotop each in two old beech stands with associated deadwood. Such areas enable habitat connectivity, serve as refuges for species with limited ranges, and promote the recolonization of threatened populations. We thus provide a favorable habitat especially for the rare oak capricorn beetle. To ensure that our visitors also benefit, we have set up boards with information about the importance of a Trittsteinbiotop for ecology and research.

Feihlerhöhe orchard as nature buffer zone

We have further improved the Feihlerhöhe, an orchard meadow close to the city center that is an important nature buffer zone between the urban area and the forest, by scheduling mowing times and areas so that wildflowers and herbs, which are an important food source for many insects, can better seed. By removing the mowed material, we have encouraged an ecologically important "nutrient thinning" of the meadow. To prevent the meadow from becoming overgrown and losing its function, we removed the brambles that were growing in at the edges of the meadow and around the fruit trees. During the second mowing in late fall, we left several uncut grass islands to provide better conditions for the numerous insects (especially butterflies) that need old tall grass to lay eggs and forage in the fall.

Climate protection and climate adaptation

Climate protection is a long-term task. Therefore, we focus our activities on being set in close contact and direct cooperation with pupils and young people as far as possible. We assume that the current young people will strongly contribute to the formation of opinions (including those of their parents) in the next 20 years.

We have frequently used our information channels on Facebook and Instagram to point out the connections between climate protection and nature conservation: climate change mitigation is essential for intact nature, and nature plays a key role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. In both interactions, the forest plays an essential role, on the one hand as a sensitive forest ecosystem, and on the other hand as a carbon store and temperature moderator.

Both at the climate festival of the municipality and at the nature park festival, we prepared the topic "forest and climate" as participatory events for children and young people. In cooperation with the "Save Soil" group, we held two hands-on workshops to draw attention to the importance of forest soil as an important water reservoir and to the associated services provided by the forest.

Through a media-prone planting of regional woody plants together with pupils of the Nature Park School, we emphasized the role of site-adapted vegetation for the necessary climate adaptations.

A problem related to climate change is the increased occurrence of heavy rainfall events in recent years, which we also feel in the nature park, because the occasionally heavy precipitation around the nature park center has sometimes flowed over the facilities there and, for example, washed away the fall protection of the forest play area and washed it down to an adjacent road. We have implemented adaptation measures by promoting vegetation through water-retaining climate hedges and reactivating an old ravine that existed previously but has since been displaced by erosion for the remaining runoff.

Reforestation with more drought-resistant tree species such as Silver Fir and Scots Pine was not necessary in 2022 because there was little logging and vegetation adaptation with fir had already begun in recent years.

Our goals

The main goals of our nature park concept on the topic of education are to expand the existing nature park center into a weatherproof learning space for regular nature-based instruction of school classes and to adapt the existing facilities for nature-based visual instruction.

Furthermore, the existing facilities and information areas should be improved, and the already well-developed forest education program should be expanded, whereby the peripheral zones of the nature park, such as the Fehlerhöhe meadow orchard or the Schöffelstein meadow, should also be integrated into the educational work.

Our achievements in 2022

The Purkersdorf nature park is a heavyweight in the field of education among the network of Lower Austrian nature parks. Due to the good accessibility by public transport and the proximity to the Vienna metropolitan area, we are an attractive educational partner for schools. Due to this high demand, we have been able to strongly professionalize and expand the forest educational offer in recent years.

In 2022, we were able to position the nature park even better as a local education partner and knowledge mediator and further strengthen the position of our nature park as one of the leading Lower Austrian nature parks in the field of education.

Forest education and events

In the year 2022, we were able to carry out significantly more forest educational outings and events following the expiry of the Corona restrictions.

We offered 5 guided tours on nature topics, such as bird life in the Vienna Woods, medicinal mushrooms, traces of wild animals or mindful interaction in and with nature.

As part of our school program, 40 forest excursions took place with almost 1,000 pupils from Purkersdorf, and from the surrounding areas & Vienna. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the already well-booked student action day on the Feihlerhöhe due to harsh weather, but this will be offered again in 2023.

Forest as a classroom

Our 4-year pilot project "Learning in the Nature Park - Forest as a classroom", which we had started in 2019 with the elementary school Gablitz (and with the support of the association of Austrian Nature Parks (VNÖ) and the Gablitz municipal council) was continued with 2 classes. This program has proven itself well and was also adopted by 3 classes of the elementary school Purkersdorf for the first time in 2022. Within the framework of the program, we were able to significantly expand our competencies in nature education. At the beginning of 2023, we were awarded the Hans-Czettel-Preis award for this.

Nature Park Schools

For the Biodiversity Day 2022, we worked with the Nature Park School ASO and the two partner schools in Purkersdorf and Gablitz on the topic "Landscapes full of climate foxes"; for this purpose, we installed small flowering areas for insects in front of the schools.

We supported the ASO for their external evaluation, which was necessary to retain the title "Nature Park School". The ASO uses the nature park for a monthly nature park school day in the forest. In the process, we planted shrubs together in the fall and created a deadwood hedge. These nature park school days are to be continued in 2023.

Unfortunately, the search for a suitable nature park kindergarten was unsuccessful but will be continued in 2023.

Nature observation stations

At the nature park center, we have expanded an observation station to include the topic of earthworms. This gives our visitors a chance to become more aware of the importance of soil animals.

Together with our beekeeper, we have relocated the bee station from the previous platform (that was already almost overgrown by the forest) to new locations at the nature park center and at the sunny Schöffelsteinwiese. On the previous platform there is now an insect hotel instead of the beehives, plus a large information station about the life of wild bees, which teaches visitors about the importance of wild bees for the habitat and at the same time invites them to relax and enjoy nature with a bench.

Infrastructure for school in nature

On the Kellerwiese - i.e. in the vicinity of the surrounding schools - we have created a seating stand made from tree logs. With this open-air amphitheater we offer the possibility to the teachers to realize spontaneous lessons in nature even if they have only 1-2 hours' time.

In 2022 we have requested external expert advice from the NÖ Nature Parks Association (VNN), which will enable us to further improve our educational offerings. We will implement the recommendations starting in 2023.

Unfortunately, we were not able to realize our goal of expanding the existing wood laboratory into a weatherproof learning space for regular nature-based lessons in 2022. The reason for this is that our proposal for getting an EU-funded project to make a forest class facility at the nature park center, which we already submitted in September 2021, has landed on an administrative waiting bench.

Recreation is an important pillar in our work, but it is also sometimes a challenging work. The Purkersdorf nature park, which is small in terms of size, is visited by very many people: during the week these are many school classes and on weekends families with children. On the one hand, we are pleased about the high demand because it shows the attractiveness of our nature park; on the other hand, of course, there are often big problems, for example with the accumulating garbage or with vandalism.

Unfortunately, the nature park funding of the federal state of Lower Austria (NÖ) explicitly excludes measures related to recreation, so that in 2022 (as always before) we are dependent on the funding by the Purkersdorf municipality for maintenance, and on funding from the NÖ Landscape Fund for the investments in new facilities (but only 50% of the accepted costs are funded).

Thanks to the support of the municipality, we were able to provide many important services in 2022.

Our goals

In our nature park concept, the most important goal regarding recreation is the gentle further development of the existing nature park area through the maintenance and expansion of theme trails, including a stronger integration of the Wien river, which has received little attention so far. We aim at linking the recreational function of the forest with mental and physical health.

With the increase in visitor numbers during the pandemic lockdowns, it has become clear that as the nature park becomes more attractive, good visitor management becomes increasingly important. It is important to better delineate quiet zones and activity zones, to strengthen meeting zones for a wide range of audiences, and to build discovery stations along trails other than on the popular nature trail. In the future, we may even have to keep our visitors away from some conservation zones so that the habitats there are not destroyed, and the animals are not disturbed.

To reduce the improper use of nature park facilities (or, in some cases, their destruction), we plan to develop prevention programs in cooperation with local partners and to hold a joint workshop on the subject.

Our achievements in 2022

Maintenance of the nature park infrastructure

Most of the activities of the nature park management serve the theme of recreation. Our nature park facilities have been constantly maintained. Especially the maintenance of the animal enclosures on the Kellerwiese and the game enclosures in Deutschwald are costly and tie up a large part of our human and financial resources every year. For the wild boar enclosure, we were able to find a sponsor in 2022, with whose donation we were able to cover part of the necessary wild animal food.

Maintaining the trails, playgrounds, attractions, and rest stops is also costly, especially since there are ongoing repair needs.

Visitor guidance

In 2022 we started to improve the signposting and to direct visitors from the very densely used nature trail to other parts of the nature park.

With funds from the NÖ Landscape Fund and the Purkersdorf municipality, we were able to make new signs for the Rudolfswarte and the trails leading to it. Even though the Rudolfswarte is located a bit outside the nature park area proper, it is one of the most important attractions and is much visited. With the new signs we also inform the visitors that the observatory is maintained by the municipality of Purkersdorf at a considerable financial cost.

A new deer enclosure

Deer and wild boar enclosures are among the main attractions of the nature park and are points of interest especially for families. The previous deer enclosure was less appreciated by both visitors and deer; because of its proximity to a much-traveled access path, the deer often felt uncomfortable and hid, especially since dogs sometimes frightened them.

In 2022, we were able to build a new deer enclosure that is twice the size of the previous enclosure and provides better refuge for our two tame deer. We anticipate that the more protected new enclosure will soon produce offspring. The old enclosure was already dilapidated and would have had to be renovated at considerable cost anyway. Half of the costs of the new enclosure was supported by the NÖ Landscape Fund, a part was covered by a sponsoring of a local real estate company, for the rest we are still looking for further sponsors.

Vandalism prevention

At the suggestion of the municipality of Purkersdorf, we have started a vandalism prevention program. We have approached both a youth center and the schools for this purpose. We supported an interested project of the Josef-Schöffel-School about perception of nature, in which the students produced an impressive video. At a round table with young people, it emerged that an essential element of vandalism prevention is when visitors consciously perceive that they are part of nature as soon as they enter the nature park; this would encourage them to value forest, nature, and park facilities. From the results we have derived a mandate to better mark the entrances to the nature park with a message like "...from here nature begins..." starting in 2023. 

Further development of nature tourism

Since the middle of 2022, we have been participating in a pilot project of the province of Lower Austria to strengthen the development of nature parks for nature tourism. 4 nature parks were selected as examples to find ways of making nature parks more tangible for visitors. Through that pilot project, the tourism profile of nature parks should be sharpened, and innovative nature tourism products should be developed to inspire visitors and to achieve a higher added value.

The province of Lower Austria has provided us with an expert from a tourism consulting company for this purpose. At the beginning of December 2022, we organized a first workshop with participation of representatives of the municipality, the Wienerwald tourism association, cooperation partners and forest educators. The external expert described our nature park "as a compact, really great nature experience on the outskirts of Vienna" with an exemplary good presence on the Internet. However, potential for improvement was identified for marking the accesses and in signposting of hiking trails. In addition, the importance of good gastronomy in the vicinity of the nature park was pointed out.

Our participation in the pilot project is not about getting more visitors to our nature park through nature tourism development, but about offering attractive themes to nature-seeking visitors and integrating the City of Purkersdorf as a relevant part of a nature park visit.

As a first step, we started to standardize our numerous information boards with our new standard design and our nature park color. For 2023, we want to focus our work on installing a consistent and appealing visitor guidance system.

In many regions of Lower Austria, nature parks have been used as engines for regional development, for example to boost tourism. However, for the nature parks in the Vienna metropolitan area (in addition to Purkersdorf, these are Sparbach, Föhrenberge, Eichenhain and Mannersdorf), the requirements for regional development are different than in the peripheral regions. In Purkersdorf,  we are not so much concerned with regional economic development, but with the development of the quality of life. This also includes the identification of inhabitants with their nature park region and a corresponding appreciation of nature. 

Our goals

Regarding regional development, we have stated in our nature park concept that it is important to us to strengthen cooperation with surrounding communities to be able to improve the regional quality of life. Through closer cooperation with regional producers or service providers, the added value of products associated with our nature park should be increased.

We have planned to better coordinate program offerings and conservation measures with regional partners such as the Biosphärenpark Wienerwald (BPWW) and neighboring nature parks, as well as to network with similar educational institutions and protected areas to expand our offerings.

Our achievements in 2022

Cooperation with the Municipality of Purkersdorf

Our close cooperation with the municipality of Purkersdorf has been further strengthened. With our highly visible regular presence in the official gazette of the municipality, in which we inform the population about our activities, our main concern is that the population perceives the nature park as an important and inseparable part of their home and develops a sensorium for nature.

With the municipal library, we have contributed our educational expertise for the organization and implementation of 3 events on the theme of "Reading in the Green". The nature park was also represented at the climate days of the municipality, where it offered a workshop on the importance of soil for climate protection in cooperation with the group "Save Soil".

Cooperation with the municipality of Gablitz

The cooperation with the neighboring town of Gablitz has developed surprisingly well. The nature park was regularly represented with a double page spread in the local community magazine. The reason for this friendly gesture of the neighboring municipality was the successful cooperation of the nature park with the elementary school Gablitz for our "forest classroom" initiative.

Nature Park Festival

To strengthen the presence of the nature park among the population serves our annual nature park festival in September, which after 2 years with Corona restrictions could finally take place again in a "free" format. Despite the harsh weather, 300 visitors came - more than half of them children - to learn exciting things about the forest and its importance for the climate at many stations.

Networking with educational institutions and protected areas

There is close coordination with the Biosphärenpark Wienerwald (BPWW) for events. The BPWW has supported us in the promotion of events and in the implementation of the nature park festival; while we helped the BPWW with their “Biosphere Cup”, which was organized as a digital puzzle rally in 2022.

We already have a long cooperation with the Sparbach nature park, which we often pursue in an informal way. In 2022, we supported our colleagues in Sparbach at their anniversary celebration with an activity station. We also maintain close contact at the level of nature park management, where we exchange experiences in visitor guidance and events.

Nature park products

The cooperation with the nature park beekeeper, which has been going on for many years, was further strengthened in 2022. The participatory honey spinning, in which our visitors experience "with all their senses" how nature park honey is extracted, was very well received. In addition, we held a competition for the design of labels for the “Nature Park Honey”, for which there were more than 40 excellent entries. With this competition, which took place for the first time in 2021, we achieved to draw the attention of the population (and the media) once again to the fact that nature parks are not only protected areas but cultural landscapes from which cultural products are harvested.

Unfortunately, we failed in expanding the range of nature park products. We have had several discussions with producers but could not achieve a concrete cooperation.

We are much more successful with another type of products, namely nature park services. We cooperate with several local and regional providers who use our nature park for forest children's birthday parties, kids' nature vacation camps, yoga, and art lessons. In this way we give local service providers a chance to use the nature park for an offer adapted for this purpose.