„Northern Limestone Alps/Eisenwurzen/Gesäuse/Dürrenstein“ is a pilot region within the scope of the EU project „Ecological Connectivity“, confined to the alpine region
The Region
The project region has been shaped by the common history of the cultural area "Eisenwurzen“ and its history of exploitation, which lasted more than 800 years. Even today there is a cultural – and economic unity. In former times the economy was powered by mining and processing of iron ore, today it is based on tourism and agriculture.
The landscape of the Limestone Alps is characterized by massive mountain ranges with rugged rock faces of limestone and dolomite and by gently sloped, wooded highlands of soft, sand -, marl - and slate – soil. Typical for this region are spacious areas with a scattered population, no urban sprawl, a wealth of forests (> 80%), an only slightly structured cultural landscape, an abundant biodiversity, numerous species, endemic to the Eastern Alps, as well as a large number of existing protected areas, covering a total area of more than 200.000 ha.
The region also connects the foothills of the Eastern Alps (with a link in the direction of the Carpathiens) to the protected areas of the Western Alps (e.g. Lower – and Higher Tauern).
The Region in the framework of „ECONNECT – Improving Ecological Connectivity in the Alps”
ECONNECT's project partner is the "National Park Gesäuse“ – Ltd., which aims at outlining a comprehensive, transparent planning process for an ecological connectivity within the region in close cooperation with the administrations of the "Upper Austrian National Park Limestone Alps“ and of "Wilderness Dürrenstein“. It is important to integrate all representatives of interest, who want to participate in the project, in time and comprehensively. These representatives of interest are, apart from the administrations of protected areas, landowners and beneficiaries, representatives of agri- and silviculture, of hunting and fisheries, of hydraulic engineering, especially of torrent – and avalanche control, of spatial planning and of regional development.
In 2011, results should propose concrete actions and project applications for Leader – and LIFE projects. But these projects should not only be of benefit for nature, but for the whole region and their inhabitants. A genuine vision for the future could be the creation of a new brand „region of nature“, standing for natural particularities, quality and sustainability and also supporting the regional economy. An application for a UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered, too!
The first meeting to present the ECONNECT project took place in Admont in October 2008. Various representatives of interest from the three states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria were animatedly discussing the contents of the project and the planning process. The next step will be an interrogation of potential partners in order to get an overview of current or designed projects or ideas of projects and to optimize the collaboration. In sequence meetings and workshops will be held in the region within the next months. Regular meetings, a website plus discussion forum (chat room) and the use of other electronic media guarantee an effective communication to elaborate projects mutually.
This project is part of the EU project of environmental protection ECONNECT
The EU project ECONNECT is presently the largest international research project to improve ecological networking within the Alps amounting to a budget of 3,2 mio €. 16 project partners from EU-countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia) and non-EU-members (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) will cooperate within the next three years. The project will be coordinated by the Austrian Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna.
The Alps are probably the most vigorously exploited mountain range in Europe, simultanously they host one of Europe’s vastest pools of biodiversity: with more than 30.000 species of animals and 13.000 species of plants the Alp’s diversity is of inestimable value. To conserve this diversity, animals and plants need to be able to migrate to other habitats, especially in times of global warming. This migration is hindered to a large extent by man-made barricades: densely populated areas, motorways and railway tracks, water retailing structures and hydroelectric power plants. Political borders always entail different rules and regulations for nature conservancy; cross-border protection of the Alpine region is still unachievable.
Aim of the project
The project aims primarily at enforcing ecological connectivity within the Alpine region. For a comprehensive survey not only protected areas like National parks are taken into consideration, but also landscape-zones and –corridors, rich in biodiversity, representing important links. A cross-border network of Alpine ecosystems is to arise where man-made barriers have set limits.
