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Documentation 2014 Activity Report Salzburg National Park Fund Hohe Tauern Publication details Cover picture: The Eurasian blue tit (Parus caeruleus) inhabits deciduous and mixed woodlands characterised by a degree of coarse woody debris. It often prefers sparse stands with sunny exposures. In the more open Tauern valleys this species of tit can be found in the richly structured cultural landscape, providing it offers established deciduous stands of ash and sycamore maple, for example. Given the low proportion of deciduous and mixed woodlands in the Hohe Tauern National Park, sightings of this breeding bird are relatively infrequent. Its breeding range extends upwards to elevations of approx. 1100 m. In late summer and autumn roaming and migrating blue tits have occasionally been spotted in alder stands as high up as the tree line (photo: R. RIEDER). Media owner, editor, and publisher: Salzburg National Park Fund Hohe Tauern, Gerlos Straße 18, A-5730 Mittersill, Austria Editorial team and responsible for contents: Kristina BAUCH and Wolfgang URBAN Project management and co-ordination: Kristina BAUCH Translations: Stephen B. Grynwasser on behalf of AlpsLaRete Photos: Hohe Tauern National Park archives, unless otherwise specified; Page 8: Top photos, from left to right: C. BAUMGARTNER/NP Donauauen, Marek/NP Thayatal, F. RIEDER/NP Hohe Tauern Salzburg; Bottom photos, from left to right: C. FÜRNHOLZER/NP Gesäuse, E. WEIGAND/NP Kalkalpen, Neusiedler See – Seewinkel Archives; Page 20 and back cover: Photo G. GRESSMANN PAGE 23: PHOTO M. KNOLLSEISEN Page 11, 2nd photo from the top: BMLFUW [Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management] / B. KERN Graphic design: Gudrun SCHUEN, Grafik Land Salzburg Printed by: In-house printing shop, Salzburg State Government © Salzburg National Park Fund Hohe Tauern, 2015 Printed on 100 percent recycled paper “Desistar” (Category: Lenza Top Recycling Pure), produced by Lenzing Paper Ltd., no optical brightener added and without clorine bleach in line with the directive ZU O2 “Graphic Paper” of the Austrian Eco-label. Contents 2 Preface 4 New Salzburg National Park Act 6 Mission Statement 9 Budget 10 National Park Year 2014 16 National Parks Austria 18 International Affairs 20 Natural Resource Management 24 Science and Research 30 Education and Visitor Information 38 Preservation of the Cultural Landscape 40 National Park Region 42 Tourism The alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) is the largest species of 43 Association of Friends rodent in the Alps. Of all the mammals living in the wild in the 44 Organisation National Park it is the one most frequently spotted. Marmots inhabit open alpine pastures in montane woodlands and on 47 Outlook alpine meadows and boulder fields from the tree limit up to elevations of 2700 m. The marmot is a social animal and lives 48 Contact in family groups. Individual breeding pairs mate for life. The young remain within the group until they reach maturity, i.e. after three years at the latest (photo: R. RIEDER). Foreword Diversity Is Our Planet’s Life Insurance Policy Around 3,800 nature protection areas worldwide bear the title A key element of success lies in biodiversity monitoring, i.e. ‘National Park’. Of these, a total of 2,527 – 354 in Europe – keeping track of the connections between human activity and are Category II certified in accordance with the guidelines of biodiversity and adopting targeted measures. the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In Austria six of the ecologically most precious regions have 2015 will be all about even more efficient co-operation between been declared National Parks. the Austrian National Parks. The joint project entitled ‘National Parks Austria PR’ is to be continued. New pioneering projects Globally, these nature protection areas cover a surface of are also planned in the areas of research and education. 3.1 million km2 and an average of 3.8% of each country’s Strategically, preparing for the challenges ahead is particularly surface area. In Austria these six natural gems account for a important. The Austrian National Park Strategy is to be share of around 3% and cover an area of approx. 2,000 km2, restructured accordingly and developed further. putting us in the top third of a potential ranking. The six Austrian National Parks illustrate the diversity of our Austria also leads the way, both internationally and at the homeland and are showcase projects for nature conservation European level, when it comes to another important factor, and biodiversity. But they are also research sites and visitor i.e. the preservation of biodiversity. I presented our contribution attractions and, as such, they have a positive impact on the towards the protection of biodiversity at the Biodiversity regional economy too. All the people who work for these all- Conference in South Korea. Our national biodiversity strategy important nature protection areas do tremendous work and was drawn up by a separate commission as part of a two-year demonstrate their commitment day in and day out. I would like process and unanimously adopted. The main emphasis is on to take this opportunity to thank them, and I look forward to a containing the loss of species and genetic diversity as well as successful and busy 2015. habitat degradation. But we also need to be proactive in addressing the causes of these threats. Yours Andrä RUPPRECHTER Austrian Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Foreword National Park Year 2014 When we think of the word ‘wilderness’, we usually mean areas course of numerous meetings a positive working environment of unspoilt nature, primaeval forests, steppes, deserts, and bush was established, with the Amendment paving the way for the land untouched by humankind. In Austria there are very few future: for a modern National Park management, including a areas left that might qualify as wilderness. One of the main simplified administration and the implementation of European problems is that, in central Europe, natural dynamic processes law in the amended legislation. have systematically been eliminated from the landscape. Indeed, the objectives and intents of human beings are rarely The Hohe Tauern National Park once again took centre stage compatible with unconstrained natural development. at numerous events in 2014, affording children and teenagers a way in to this special nature protection area and its rich So for that reason, I am delighted that plans are already in biodiversity. I was able to attend a number of these events in place for a wilderness area at the heart of the Hohe Tauern person, for instance the campaign titled ‘The Hohe Tauern National Park. The bond that exists between the Hohe Tauern National Park Comes to Town’. More than 500 schoolchildren National Park and wilderness has also been described in the visited the TV garden at the ORF regional studio, which was a recently published study entitled The Potential Wilderness Area fun opportunity for them to demonstrate and broaden their Grossvenediger. A Report to the Wild Europe Initiative. And the knowledge of the National Park. The schoolchildren used fact that the first European Wilderness Academy Days were Tibetan prayer flags to express their wishes for the future of the held at the National Park Centre in Mittersill is further proof National Park, and those flags have adorned my office foyer positive of a change in our way of thinking. ever since. 2014 was marked by the Amendment to the National Park Act, All that remains is for me to wish you, Dear Readers, Visitors, which was passed in the autumn and came into force on Scientists and National Park Enthusiasts, as well as all the staff 1 February 2015, replacing its ‘predecessor’ from 1984. In the at the National Park Administration a successful 2015! Astrid RÖSSLER Deputy Governor NationalOrganisation Park Act New Salzburg National Park Act After years of discussions within the decision-making bodies of centuries by the industriousness and perseverance of its the National Park the final stages of the Amendment to the mountain farming community and has staked its claim against 1984 National Park Act finally got underway with the debates the forces of nature’. In future, the emphasis will also be placed by the constitutional and administrative committee of on the significance of the National Park as part of the coherent Salzburg’s Landtag parliament. As a result the draft legislation European ecological NATURA 2000 network in keeping with put forward by Salzburg’s provincial government under the the Fauna-Flora-Habitats Directive and the Wild Bird Directive auspices and departmental responsibility of Deputy Governor as well as a Category II nature protection area (National Park) Astrid Rössler was able to come into force on 1 February 2015. in accordance with the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). It also While the legal basis dating from 1984 was well suited for formalises the commitment to the agreement reached between setting up and establishing Austria’s first National Park, its the federal provinces of Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol and the reorientation in line with modern-day National Park federal government, with which the Hohe Tauern National Park management was long overdue. By its very nature any such is in the interest of the state as a whole as the contribution by reorientation involving all the different interests in and at the the Republic of Austria to the preservation of the world’s National Park had to be a compromise between the global idea natural heritage. of a national park and regional interests; but in any case, it was a step in the right direction. As with many other changes carried by the Amendment, Section 2 ‘Objective’ also attaches importance to greater Already under Section 1 ‘Basic Principles’, an important step transparency and improved readability through clear structuring.