LIFE Project Salzachauen Final Report 06/2021 © Christian Ragger © Johannes Schied ©Clemens Ratschan © Christian Ragger 2 CONTENTS 1

3 The Salzachauen European natural heritage 4 The LIFE project Salzburg‘s largest “construction site for nature” 6 Enabled by land purchases A larger scope for conservation 8 Flooding welcome Dynamic flow for the Reitbach 10 The Ausee Digging for nature 13 A biodiverse riparian forest A good outlook for the white willow and its friends 14 Experiencing nature in the Salzachauen New visitor facilities 16 The LIFE project in action! Benefiting species and habitats 18 Many have worked together Publishing Information Project participants Land Salzburg, Abt. 5 – Natur- und Umweltschutz, Gewerbe Project lead: Bernhard Riehl, Land Salzburg Design concept, text & graphics: Christian Ragger, Marian Unterlercher, 20 The work goes on REVITAL Integrative Naturraumplanung GmbH, www.revital-ib.at Editorial contributors: Bernhard Riehl, Wolfgang Suske, Johannes Maurer, A brief look into the future Kathrin Horvath Photos: Christian Ragger (unless stated otherwise). The majority of the photographs were taken in the Salzachauen. Illustrations: Geert Gratama, www.geertgratama.nl Printed on recycled paper 100% made from waste materials in accordance with the guideline “Druckerzeugnisse” of the Austrian Ecolabel. Name Druckerei, UWZ-Nr. xxx 2 3 © Revital The Salzachauen European natural heritage

The Natura 2000 area Salzachauen is located at the lower Salzach river north of the city of Salzburg, stretching from the municipality of Anthering to that of St Georgen at the province‘s border. On its area of 1,140 ha, it preserves one of the most biodiverse ecosystems of Salzburg. Salzburg Rare birds like the golden oriole, middle-spotted woodpecker 4 or kingfisher 5 breed in the soft- 1 and hardwood riparian forests 2 and in the partially opened banks along a free-flowing Salzach river 3 . Endangered amphibians such as the tree frog 6 , agile frog and others live in the many small and larger water bodies. Deadwood is left standing, allowing the red flat bark beetle 7 time for its years-long development in the decaying wood. Bats hunt in the riparian forest at night, and people hike on its signposted paths during daytime. S Natural treasures al That‘s because the Salzachauen are not just a refuge preserving natural diversi- za of the Salzachauen: ty - they also serve as a recreational and educational space for us humans. ch river Ausee 1 5

softwood riparian forest kingfisher tufa-forming springs

2 6 Weitwörther Au

Irlacher Au S11 hardwood riparian forest tree frog S1 Eching St Georgener Au

3 7 Salzburg

Nussdorf Natura 2000 Laufen Oberndorf

A network for Europe S1 Natura 2000 is a continuous network of protected areas in the European Union. In this way, endan- open banks at Salzach river red flat bark beetle Krasensky © Pavel Weitwörther Au gered animals, plants and habitats can be protected across country borders. Antheringer Au The Salzachauen are part of this protected area network. 4 Bavaria Together with the neighbouring Natura 2000 areas in Upper

Austria and Bavaria, they form a protected area 70 km² Salzach Anthering large. This preserves one of the most biodiverse natural areas in the northern Alpine foothills.

Natura 2000 area This safeguards important habitats - and the animals and Salzachauen plants living in them - for the future. Salzburg Lokalbahn Tip: To make journeying to the train stations middle - spotted woodpecker Petutschnig © Werner Salzachauen both simple and green, try the local trains or the S1 Tauernradweg bike path. Salzburg 4 5 FOR FANS OF NUMBERS 14 28 new riparian The LIFE project hectares pools 100,000 hardwood riparian cubic metres Salzburg‘s largest “construction site for nature” forest created earth moved

To date, the LIFE project Salzachauen is the largest nature conservation project ever undertaken in Salzburg. The goal of the project was to create a 1 riparian landscape exemplary both in its renaturation and visitor experience.

In this way, the Salzachauen aim to be a model for other riparian landscape 70 efforts in Europe. For this reason, the EU supported the project through its people involved 127 LIFE funding programme. in the implementation hectares transforming spruce forests of land Purchases of large tracts of riparian forest by the Land Salzburg were a key purchased part of the project. The efforts were focused on the Weitwörther Au south of Oberndorf. Important changes were also made in the St Georgener Au and the Irlacher Au: 2 diverse structures at the Ausee 1 → Spruce monocultures and hybrid poplar forests were transformed into biodiverse riparian forests (p. 13). 14 hectares 2 spruce forests 2 → An artificial lake - the Ausee - became a paradise for fish and birds (p. 10). kilometres 7 removed barrier-free nature hectares 3 → The Reitbach stream now flows dynamically (p. 8). trail “Auen- riparian terrain erlebnisweg” lowered 30 4 → Tree frogs and its fellow amphibians now enjoy new spawning grounds. companies involved 5 → Visitors can learn about the riparian forest on the attractive “Auener- 3 lebnisweg” nature trail (p. 14). → The bird education path in the Irlacher Au has a fresh new look. → Hunting was adapted to the habitat requirements of rare animal species. 5,000 dynamic Reitbach stream 14,000 cubic metres

→ Numerous excursions and conferences introduced the Salzachauen to 21 spruce timber riparian trees display the public outside the region. 7 planted harvested (sales kilometres panels proceedings re-invest- 4 signposted ed into renaturation paths for effort) For more information, see the overview map on page 7 visitors and the following pages.

more spawning grounds 10 FACTS AND FIGURES hectares LIFE fosters life softwood in the Salzachauen Project area: Natura 2000 area Salzachauen, 1,140 ha in size riparian forest created 5 23 LIFE is a funding programme by the Lead partner: Amt der Salzburger Landesregierung, Abteilung 5 - Natur- und people involved European Commission that is wholly dedicated to the pro- Umweltschutz, Gewerbe tection of nature and the environment as well as the fight in planning against climate change. Project partners: Municipalities of Nußdorf am Haunsberg, Oberndorf bei Salz- burg, and St Georgen bei Salzburg From 2015 to 2021, the Salzachauen underwent renaturation within the framework of a LIFE project. Renaturation means Auenerlebnisweg nature trail restoring - as far as is possible - the original, natural state of Project budget: 10.5 million Euro; 6.3 million Euro of which were contributed by areas that were heavily altered by humans. This creates new the EU LIFE funding programme; 4.15 million Euro by the Land Salzburg through 6,700 habitats for large numbers of animals and plant species. its Naturschutzfonds (conservation fund); 25.000 Euro by the Federal Ministry of hours of project Agriculture, Regions, and Tourism; and 12,500 Euro each by the municipalities of management In the Salzachauen, the renaturation actions were both Nußdorf am Haunsberg and St Georgen bei Salzburg. numerous and particularly extensive.

Project duration: October 2015 to June 2021 Ground-breaking ceremony in October 2017. From the left: Bernhard Riehl (project manager), Astrid Rössler (then provincial councillor for conservation), Johann Ganisl (then mayor of Nußdorf am Haunsberg). 6 ACTIONS 7

Enabled by land purchases OVERVIEW OF LIFE ACTIONS 2015-2021 A larger scope for conservation AND NEIGHBOURING PROJECTS

For the extensive renaturation actions within the LIFE Legend project, it was necessary to purchase 127 ha of land in the Weitwörther Au and the hunting rights associated A DIFFERENT KIND OF HUNT Riparian forest conservation new path connecting actions with it, as well as the fishing rights at the Ausee lake. to Oberndorf Terrain lowering and Since there are no natural predators for them, Ausee revitalisation it is still necessary to hunt deer, wild boars and To the west, this land borders on a 120 ha “island” be- Auenerlebnisweg nature trail tween the Reitbach stream and Salzach river. This area hares in the Salzachauen. Without hunting, Lookout points and platforms had already been given over to natural development their populations would grow larger and larger, and would then bite off or otherwise damage northern Reitbach Paths for visitors years ago as part of a substitute action under conserva- saplings. This would prevent the forest from footbridge tion law. Together, these two areas now form a riparian rejuvenating itself. forest zone 250 ha in size. Here, nature can again be Oichten stream natural. As part of the LIFE project, the Land Salzburg acquired the hunting rights for the Weitwörther While animals and plants can grow and develop without Au. Since then, deliberate wildlife management being disturbed, people too benefit from a delightful has taken the place of the former trophy hunting. local recreation space. The focus is on limiting the numbers of deer, wild boars, and hares to a level the forest can tolerate. Access paths and visitor paths in the area were renovat- Weitwörthbach stream „Island“ ed, made more attractive, and in part newly construct- Water birds are no longer hunted at all. They can ed. Visitor facilities such as thematic nature trails and now enjoy this bird paradise without danger. Land purchased viewing platforms were created (see the map opposite, for LIFE project Station Weitwörth as well as page 14). terrain lowered and new Reitbach side waters Salzach river Quellbach stream goosander Reitbach stream Zone B terrain lowered

Auenwerkstatt

terrain lowered

Auenerlebnisweg nature trail dynamisation of Ausee the Reitbach revitalisation

terrain lowered Hide The old oak-lined avenues are a relic of the Baroque era. As Water birds are no longer hunted in the Salzachauen. part of the LIFE project, young oaks were planted to fill gaps Land ownership in them. Land purchased by the Land terrain lowered Salzburg as part of the LIFE project and new Reitbach side platform waters deer 37 ha acquired by the Land Salzburg in, Salzach river substitute action for 380 kV power line funded by Austrian Power Grid southern Reitbach “Island”: Land owned by the Repub- footbridge lic of Austria. Hunting rights leased by the Land Salzburg, enabling sus- tainable wildlife management

Land purchased by the Land Salzach ramp Salzburg in 2017; Auenwerkstatt Weitwörth (opens autumn 2021) Border of Natura 2000 area

metres Hunting remains necessary in the Salzachauen. However, Raised hides now double as bat quarters. it exclusively serves wildlife management purposes. 8 ACTIONS 9

At the Reitbach, the Ukrainian brook 1 3 Ukrainian brook lamprey lamprey returns to its former home. In cooperation with the Bavarian author- ities and fishing rights holders, 5,000 young brook lampreys (called “Querder” Flooding welcome or ammocoetes) originating from the Bavarian Inn river were released into the Reitbach. The success of this action will be Dynamic flow for the Reitbach monitored for several years. tiger beetle

Wide stretches of Reitbach stream - a tributary of the Changes were also made to the Reitbach‘s course itself, 2 “Querder” - larva of the Salzach river - used to be structurally monotonous. encouraging the stream to become more dynamic. For Ukrainian brook lamprey Fish and other water-dwelling species found no suitable instance, tree trunks were fastened to the stream banks. habitats here. During floods, the trunks force the water to change direction, ultimately leading the stream to change course. The Salzach had also cut deeper into its riverbed, which The kingfisher 2 , especially, has benefited - the bird posed a serious ecological problem: Riparian zones with already breeds in the newly developed steep bank faces. young kingfisher frequent flooding had nearly disappeared. Floods, how- Thanks to the LIFE project, there are now both fast- ever, are the lifeblood of a riparian forest. and slow-flowing stretches, hiding spots and spawning grounds for fish, as well as gravel and sand bars bustling 4 The LIFE project countered this development. Along the with tiger beetles 1 .

Reitbach, on an area of about 6.5 ha - equivalent to 12 Video tip © MirAlf media soccer fields - the terrain was lowered by 2-3 metres by This has also created attractive habitats for the Ukrain- https://youtu.be/Ha-q38Dg6LI Floods at the Reitbach nourish the riparian zone. digging. flooded ian brook lamprey 3 Now, the lowered terrain is once more , formerly a native species of the several times a year 4 . This allows animals and plants Salzachauen. To reintroduce it, 5,000 young lampreys A video experience of the Reitbach typical for riparian forests to move in again. were released into the Reitbach stream. and its flooding in August 2020! Reitbach flood 2020

spruce forest removed 2017 2018 just after earthworks 2020 © Revital © Revital © Revital © Revital

riparian forest

young riparian forest pioneer plants

gravel bar flat bank steep bank tree root

tree trunk REITBACH 10 ACTIONS 11

BEFORE 1 The Ausee tree frog (2017) Digging for nature

The Ausee lake in the Weitwörther Au formed around Parts of the riparian terrain were lowered, too, and dams 20 years ago from a gravel quarry. It was long used for removed. New riparian forest can now develop here as 2 fishery. It was stocked with non-native fish, and the banks well. A number of small pools was created for amphibi- were lined with numerous huts. Both animal and plant ans, dragonflies and many other animals. diversity in the lake was very low, because the steep banks did not allow water plants to grow. This resulted in a lack Fish and other animal species have gained a welcoming of hiding spots and breeding grounds. habitat. Here, they can find food, shelter, and breeding grounds. © Revital The LIFE project turned the tide. When the Ausee was purchased, the fishing rights were also acquired. This

meant that fishing could be stopped, and the huts and 3 jetties removed. Sand and gravel excavated as part of the AFTER renaturation work at the Reitbach was used to create flatter, more diverse banks. (2019)

1 The new Ausee banks were shaped by a bulldozer - precise to the centi- metre!

2 All in all, around 100,000 cubic metres of material were moved. The Ausee‘s new banks just after completion ... 3 Creating these flat banks was

... and two years later.

Video tip Time-lapse of the construction work at the Ausee: https://youtu.be/c8mXAelnAIY 12 ACTIONS 13 great spotted 1 woodpecker A biodiverse riparian forest A good outlook for the white willow and its friends

For a long time, parts of the Weitwörther Au were char- Additionally, all forestry use of 54 hectares of already 2 acterised by spruce plantations - an unnatural situation, near-natural forest was stopped completely. Trees may as spruce would not normally grow in riparian forests. again grow in their forests until they die naturally at the Neither do they provide habitats for the animal species end of their lifespan. They turn into valuable coarse typical for a riparian zone. woody debris, which is essential for riparian forest dwell- ers like woodpeckers 1 , beetles 2 , and fungi 3 . The LIFE project changed this. The unnatural, species-poor spruce plantations 4 were removed 6 to make way for The gaps in the old oak-lined avenues were filled by a near-natural deciduous tree forest 5 . To support its planting pedunculate oak saplings. development, young trees typical for riparian forests were ground beetle planted, especially various species of alders, elms, maples, Clearings were made in the hybrid poplar stands. This poplars, and willows 7 . allows the riparian forest to develop and rejuvenate itself naturally 8 .

6 spruce logging 4 BEFORE

fruiting body of the red-belted conk

FACTS AND FIGURES 5 54 hectares of riparian forest - already near-natural - can IN FUTURE now develop without any disturbance caused by native riparian zone trees planted forestry.

14 hectares of spruce monoculture have been made over into species-rich riparian forests. 8 A willow sapling has made it. New riparian forest is developing. Another 37 hectares underwent first changes made to let the riparian forests grow more natural and increase their biodiversity. Made possible by the LIFE project: The trees of the Weitwörther Au are no longer logged. Instead, they grow old and die off Around 14,000 saplings of woody plants native to local naturally. The accumulating old and dead wood riparian forests were planted, including those of rare is invaluable as a habitat for many animals and species such as the black poplar. plants. Legend

moosach_bladenbach Landschaftsschutzgebiete 20200709_Maske_N2000 NATURLA e20g0e0n- Gdebiet

Tauernradweg moosach_bladenbach Anbindung RadLwanedgschaftsschutzgebiete 20200709_Maske_N2000 NATURA 2000- Gebiet Tauernradweg Anbindung Radweg

14 ACTIONS 15

Tip: See https://www.salzachauen.at/erleben-lernen/aktuelle-termine/ for a current overview of the educational opportunities offered in the Salzachauen. You can also book them here! Legend moosach_bladenbach Landschaftsschutzgebiete 20200709_Maske_N2000 NATURA 2000- Gebiet 6 Experiencing nature Tauernradweg new signposts Anbindung Radweg Ostermiething Irlacher and Upper Austria Irlacher and St. Georgener Au - Overview i Moosache stream in the Salzachauen St. Georgener Au New visitor facilities P St.Georgen i bei Salzburg 1 viewing platform at the Ausee i Protected area info Station St. Georgen i The renaturated Salzachauen are a great success with i Info point Pladenbach stream visitors. The new visitor infrastructure allows visitors to Lei gBirde trailn displayd panel Bürmoos meet nature up close without disturbing it. Vogellehrpfad (bird trail) Irlacher Au i Borderm of oNaturaos 2000ac harea_bladenbach At the heart of the new visitor experience is the “Auen- Border of protected landscape area Salzburg i 1 erlebnisweg” , a barrier-free nature trail that circles the TauernradwegLand bikes ctrailhaftsschutzgebiete

Station Eching Ausee lake. The trail is lined with lovingly designed panels Access paths Untereching Salzach river i displaying information about the area. 20200709_Maske_N2000

i Just south of the Ausee, the “Vogelhide” 2 (a bird view- NATURA 2000m- Gebiet Im 0 500 1.000 1.500 2.000 2.500 I Obereching ing shelter) makes it possible to observe the world of birds 00 550000 11000.000 11500.500 22000.000 m 2.500 without causing disturbance. Using a newly constructed Tauernradweg 3 access path (not barrier-free) and footbridge , visitors 2 the “hide” - for bird watching can reach a platform at the Salzach river, which offers a Bhf. Oberndorf-LaufenAnbindung Radweg beautiful panorama view. i A second new footbridge spans the Reitbach in the direction of Oberndorf. This means that Oberndorf, too, is i now connected to the renaturated riparian forest with an Station Oichtensiedlung Begleitbroschüre zum AUENERLEBNISWEG attractive footpath. Additionally, paths in the riparian for- WEITWÖRTHER AU i 6 KOMM MIT IN DIE ests have been signposted throughout . In the Irlacher i Au - at the northern border of the Natura 2000 area - the SALZACHAUEN! existing bird nature trail was completely overhauled. In Oichten stream Oberndorf prominent spots, panels offer further information - for Salzburg Reitbach stream instance, regarding the historical oak-lined avenues.

3 Aside from numerous excursions 4 for adults, the focus has been - and is - on nature experience and education for children. This focus has also manifested itself in a © REVITAL/Ragger 7 brochure on the Auenerlebnisweg nature trail 7 - it was i brochure for the designed specifically for children. Auenerlebnisweg nature trail i P m Station Weitwörth-Nussdorf I 5 0 500 1.000 1.500 2.000 2.500 new footbridge over the Reitbach Weitwörther Au Salzach river i i P Reitbach stream i i Protected area info i i i Info point 4 Ausee i Auenerlebnisweg (nature loop trail) i Visitor paths Auenwerkstatt centre (opens autumn 2021) Birdwatching “hide” Viewing platform i i Tauernradweg bike trail Border of Natura 2000 area P Salzburg nature experience and education excursion m I m Rampe 0 200 4000 610000 840000 1.600000 m I Weitwörther Au - OverviewSalzach 0 200 400 600 800 1.000 Cartoons on the display panels educate in an accessible and humorous way

m I 0 200 400 600 800 1.000

m I 0 500 1.000 1.500 2.000 2.500 16 MONITORING 17 © Johannes Schied

1 2 3

The LIFE project in action! 17 red flat bark beetle Benefiting species and habitats

At the very beginning of the LIFE project, biologists car- The LIFE actions have improved the red flat bark beetle‘s ried out a survey of the plant and animal species living in prospects considerably. Since there is no longer any for- blue emperor purple emperor wild bee the area, as well as of the types and sizes of its various estry use, there is more and more of the coarse woody habitats. Now - after the implementation of the project‘s debris it requires. At the beginning of the LIFE project, 49

actions - they returned to the riparian forest to study beetles were counted - by 2020, that number had already 6 7 4 5 whether they were effective. grown to 115.

The results have been respectable. Young, species-rich Birds have benefited, too. Rare species such as the king- riparian forest has replaced drab spruce plantations. fisher and the middle spotted woodpecker now regularly They will only continue to gain ecological value as the breed in the riparian forests. They - and many other decades go by. species of animals and plants - show the positive effects of the actions in the Weitwörther Au. 3

140 +36 beaver ha kingfisher noctule sand lizard 120

100

SOME HIGHLIGHTS: 9 10 80 8 little ringed plover +2 The kingfisher 5 is the mascot of the Weitwörther Au. Area [ha] Area 60 ha +8 It is breeding successfully in the area, as the typical dark 40 -25 ha legs of this young kingfisher show. This one was spotted -21 ha in 2020. 20 ha 0 2016 2020 2016 2020 2016 2020 2016 2020 2016 2020 Dragonflies 1 , butterflies 2 , and wild bees 3 have spruce species-poor riparian forest water bodies other flocked to the new habitats in great numbers. Wild bees plantations deciduous plantations in particular are dependent on spots of bare ground, many of which they can find in the Weitwörther Au. A tally of the areas at the end of the LIFE project has shown junger Eisvogel black poplar that riparian forests have expanded significantly, replacing Sand lizard 7 , smooth snake 8 , and little ringed smooth snake around 36 hectares of former tree plantations. Water bodies plover 9 also benefit from the open areas. and other valuable habitats (“other”) have also increased. Young willows, grey alders 15 , and poplars 10 are pros- pering in the lowered terrain - a species-rich softwood 11 12 13 Amphibian populations are several times higher now. riparian forest is developing. Before the LIFE actions, the tree frog 11 in particular - a protected species - was a very rare find. By 2019, already Since forestry use ended, bats 6 have benefited from an increase in suitable cavities in the riparian forests. At more than 50 calling males were being counted. Agile twilight, they hunt insects over Ausee. frog 12 and common toad populations have also grown substantially, thanks to the many pools newly created Beavers 4 have supported the conservation actions. 13 Their dams have created numerous new wetland habitats. for amphibians. Yellow-bellied toads have appeared in As of 2020, at least three pairs of beavers had made the the area, too, just in time for the end of the project! As of Weitwörther Au their home. spring 2021, experts are still waiting for the crested newt – tree frog agile frog yellow-bellied toad Tree frogs 11 are hard to spot - but their calls are even its habitat is ready. harder to miss. Their contributions to the evening chorus of frogs are both loud and impressive. In 2020, experts were overjoyed at the first - and plentiful - sightings of the bitterling 14 in the Ausee. LIFE actions 14 15 16 57 35 made this possible. 2 7 lesser spotted woodpecker 16 2015 2018 2019 2020 The is one of several species of woodpeckers that have found ideal conditions Development of the tree frog population, shown as number of in the near-natural riparian forests. calling males counted.

The red flat bark beetle 17 - under EU-wide protection - has also seen its population rise thanks to LIFE. The bitterling young grey alder lesser spotted woodpecker beetle lives under the bark of decaying or dead trees. Tip: Video of a kingfisher in the Salzachauen © Michael Jung https://youtu.be/Ka5439ifOnA 18 THANK YOU! 19

Many have worked together Project participants 2016 2016 2017

2019

10 project team meetings, 7 advisory board meetings, Planning and construction monitoring: (people involved) several information events and countless construction REVITAL (6), Suske (3), Ezb (3), Ennacon (2), Imberg (1), progress meetings accompanied the work on the LIFE Miralf (2), Statiker (1), Johannes Schied (1), AberJung (2), project Salzachauen. The success of the project was only Beast Grafik (2), Fliegende Fische (2), Schreibeis (1) made possible by the cooperation and commitment of 23 people in total a large number of people. A big thank you to all those involved! Construction and implementation: (people involved) 2017 Fuchsluger (3), Forstdienst (6), Burgstaller (5), Strasser Project manager: Bernhard Riehl (5), Wesenauer (2), Forstmayer (2), Fally (3), Eckschlager (2), Maschinenring (5), Echolot (2), Leidorf (2), Leitner (2), 2018 Project coordination: Christian Ragger Prosenz (2), Gmachl (5), Lindner (4), Unterbau Stege (5) Waldverband (4), Rosenstatter (1), Mayer (2), Metallbau Project team: Gschaider (3) Johann Bonimaier, Waltraud Brandstetter, Georg Djundja, 65 people in total Franz Gangl, Johann Ganisl, Anne Hasenbichler, Maria Jerabek, Karin König, Mathias Kürsten, Marianna Lingg, Maintenance work / traffic safety: Maschinenring, Michael Mitter, Karin Moosbrugger, Johann Mühlbacher, Rainer Prosenz Sophie Nießner, Peter Schröder, Rosanna Scriba, Susanne Stadler, Andreas Unterweger, August Wessely, Gerald Finances: Anne Hasenbichler, Peter Zwifl, Lisa Schorn Zauner, Peter Zwifl Hunters: Josef Unterberger, Wolfgang Seewald, 2019 Advisory board: Werner Grininger Florian Aigner, Franz Josef Auersperg, Hannes Augustin, Thorsten Bungart, Maike Büsch, Eva Dinter, Roland Landowner (former): Franz Josef Auersperg Fersterer, Johann Frenkenberger, Wolfgang Fizek, Thomas Garber, Hemma Gressl, Julia Gschaider, Marion LIFE monitoring team: Conny Schmitz, Theresia Holzamer Hils, Daniela Latzer, Robert Loizl, Reinhard Kaiser, Walter Ochmann, Dieter Pasch, Franz Pfaffinger, Erich Prechtl, Political responsibility: Astrid Rössler, Maria Hutter, Josef Renner, Stefanie Riehl, Gishild Schaufler, Gerhard Daniela Gutschi 2018 Schwach, Petra Speth, Christoph Stampfl, Josef Un- 2018 terberger, Jacob Vogt, Karin Wenger, Wolfgang Wiener, Nobert Winding

Monitoring: Julia Auer, Matthias Gattermayr, Maria Jerabek, Michael Jung, Martin Lausenhammer, Claudia Leitner, Andreas Maletzky, Karin Moosbrugger, Max Reisinger, Johannes Schied, Stephan Senfter, Oliver Stöhr, Mario Wurzer, Gerald Zauner

2020 2019 Visitor facilities / public relations: Bertram Gaisböck, Geert Gratama, Kathrin Horvath, Johannes Maurer, Wolfgang Moritzer, Ricarda Schwarzel, Doris Steinböck, Wolfgang Suske, Marian Unterlercher

2020 2020 2020 20 OUTLOOK 21

The work goes on Tip: Learn more about the Auenwerkstatt centre: A brief look into the future https://www.salzachauen.at/erleben-lernen/die-auenwerkstatt/ Contact the protected area management team: https://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/natur/schutzgebiete/schutzgebietsbetreuung The LIFE project has ended. But nature continues to develop in the Salzachauen.

PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT

The protected area management team Salzachauen ensures that the newly established habitats and visitor facilities are taken care of.

The protected area management team (Rosanna Scriba, Karin Moosbrugger): Sowing regional seed material in May 2021 The goal: creating species-rich grassland → is the contact point for visitors and interested people → organises and manages necessary maintenance work → plans and implements additional actions → maintains the visitor facilities → guides excursions and is responsible for public relations → observes and documents the continuing development of the Salzachauen. “Zone B” will become a diverse cultivated „ZONE B“ landscape.

To the east of the LIFE project area, the neighbouring “Zone B” (see map on page 9) will be the subject of another large-scale renaturation project in the coming years. The Land Salzburg has already acquired 37 hectares of land for the purpose. The area will be turned into a diversified cultivated landscape, including species-rich grassland, in- dividual fields with organic agriculture, hedges, amphibian pools and much more - a paradise for animals and plants.

AUENWERKSTATT

The Auenwerkstatt Weitwörth will open in autumn 2021. It will serve the Land Salzburg as a trans-regional centre for conservation education (see map on page 9). The building is autonomous as concerns power, heating, water, and sewage and integrates well into the landscape.

The Auenwerkstatt and the near-natural outdoors areas offer a wealth of opportunities for nature experience and educational project work. Salzburg’s schools are the primary target group. But other groups, too, can enjoy an attractive nature experience programme.

Both the “Auenwerkstatt” and the “Zone B” actions are substitute actions for the 380 kV Salzburg power line

and are funded by APG (Austrian Power Grid). Auenwerkstatt (visualisation) Horner © Architekturbüro The LIFE project Salzachauen was implemented in 2015-2021 by the conservation department of the Land Salzburg in cooperation with the municipalities of Nußdorf am Haunsberg, Oberndorf bei Salzburg, and St Georgen bei Salz- burg. The European Union and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism provided funding. © Christian Ragger

Gemeinde Nußdorf am Haunsberg Stadtgemeinde Oberndorf bei Salzburg Gemeinde St. Georgen bei Salzburg