Benefit of the month #2:
Managing green infrastructure to preserve cultural, recreational and biodiversity value
Each month MaGICLandscapes introduces a particular benefit of green infrastructure including examples from the project’s case study areas and across Central Europe.
Enhancing Lower Austria's green infrastructure through voluntary landscape management
The protected area Fehhaube-Kogelsteine close to the town of Eggenburg in Lower Austria is a landscape of Pannonic steppes and dry grasslands. This nature reserve is a valuable part of the area’s green infrastructure. It contains significant geological features, rich biodiversity and is popular as a recreation destination and part of the local ‘Stein & Wein’ (Stone & Wine) recreational route.
Maintaining this threatened habitat requires active management. The EU-LIFE project ‘Pannonic steppe and dry grasslands’ took a holistic approach to management through raising public awareness, data collection, establishing monitoring mechanisms, stakeholder engagement and working with landowners. Measures undertaken included the removal of the invasive tree Robinia pseudoacacia and the reintroduction of grazing and mowing regimes to control shrub and undergrowth where traditional management of pasture and hay meadows had been abandoned. By reintroducing the traditional land management approaches on a voluntary basis organised by the Austrian League of Nature Conservation Lower Austria, the cultural and natural significance of this green infrastructure resource has been preserved.
SHORT FILM ABOUT THE NATURE RESERVE FEHHAUBE-KOGELSTEINE (in German)
Grazing sheep | photo: Margit Gross |
Kogelsteine | photo: Margit Gross |
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