Danube-Auen National Park

The Donau-Auen National Park is a 9,300 acre National Park, which stretches from Vienna, to the mouth of March in Lower Austria at the border with Slovakia. He is one of the most largely intact primeval forests of Central Europe along the Danube. The area has a length of 38 kilometers, measured at its widest point, barely four kilometers and includes areas in the communities of Vienna ( Lobau ), Grossenzersdorf, Orth an der Donau, Eckartsau, Engelhartstetten, Hainburg, bathroom German -Altenburg, Petronell- Carnuntum, Regelsbrunn, Haslau -Maria Ellend, fish Amend and Schwechat. After 1983 parts of today's national parks were as Lobau and across borders with Slovakia as Donau- March-Thaya -Auen Ramsar Site, the National Park since 1996 reserve by the IUCN category II is through the National Park lead the long-distance trail 07 and the Danube cycle path.

Creation of the National Park

Until the 19th century, the Danube was a unregulated river. From then on, the man began to change by extensive regulations the ecosystem of this river landscape dramatically. Many tributaries have been dammed and have since only flows during floods of the Danube. More massive interventions followed by decades of forestry use in many parts of lowland forests. In the 1950s, the expansion of a nearly unbroken chain of hydroelectric power plants in the Austrian part of the Danube began (Austrian Danube power plants).

In 1984, threatened with the planned construction of the hydroelectric power plant Hainburg the destruction of the last addition to the Wachau free-flowing section of the Danube with its riparian forests. Views of nature and environmental protection associations caused nationwide protests. As the operator of the power plant project not einlenkten and began the clearing, it came to occupy the Hainburg wetlands by thousands of people from all ages and professions ( " Hainburg Movement" ). After several unsuccessful Räumversuchen by police in December 1984, a pause for reflection was enacted by the federal government, beginning in January 1985 banned the Supreme Court further deforestation. In March 1985, called for 353 906 people in the form of so-called Konrad Lorenz referendum banning large power plants as Hainburg and the establishment of a national park in the area of ​​Hainburg. On July 1, 1986, the Administrative Court annulled the water right decision.

Extensive scientific research has been done and it made ​​surprising discoveries. So far more fish species were observed as was known at the time of the power plant planning in the Danube.

The most important result of these studies was that the national park Danube wetlands are worthy in and east of Vienna. It was also found that a power plant with a national park is not compatible. On October 27, 1996, a treaty between the Republic of Austria and the provinces of Vienna and Lower Austria was signed. The Donau-Auen National Park was officially opened.

Flora and Fauna

In the protected area there are more than 700 species of higher plants, more than 30 species of mammals and 100 species of breeding birds, 8 reptile and 13 amphibian species and the 50 fish species. Among the most characteristic inhabitants of the floodplain landscape of the National Park are here Danube crested newt, the European pond turtle, dog fish, sea eagles, kingfishers and beavers. With the rich fauna of land and water of live insects and other invertebrates of the total number of species is estimated in the National Park Donau-Auen to at least 5000.

The current

Due to the flood defenses that were built around 1900, the Danube was separated from the side arms. The result was a higher flow rate and increasing deepening of the river bed in the main stream, while could not be sufficiently reduced in the no longer flowed through tributaries sand and clay deposits.

To counteract this, thus lowering or perforations of the Danube embankment protection have been since 2002 by so-called waterway integration, initially single side arms tied back to the main stream, so they are traversed at least at a higher water level. In a sample project concluded in 2006 with the support of LIFE Programme of the EU and the Austrian waterway society via the Danube was opposite of Hainburg on 3 km length of the entire bank fixation, so that the current again has the opportunity to spread. In a related project, the bank fixation was removed even at Witzelsdorf to one kilometer in length. After completion of the pilot projects Hainburg and Witzelsdorf to be dismantled as part of the overall river engineering project in the future 50% of the river Danube between Vienna and the eastern state border. Except for a revival of the Au exactly what it promises a mitigation of the effects of floods and stabilization of the sole of the riverbed in the interest of ecology, as well as the shipping industry.

The National Park Donau-Auen for visits

Visit the National Park start at the Schloss Orth, where the National Park Centre is located. On the castle island, the outdoor area of the center, habitats, animals and plants of the National Park region are presented. There is also a walk underwater station with native fish.

Also popular are guided excursions to the National Park Ranger who walks and boat trips in the canoe or dinghy offer a half-day or full-day tours. Also workshops, themed events, parties, and project weeks for schools to be performed.

Filmography

• Wilderness on the Electricity - National Park Donau -Auen, Documentary universe, 50 min, Austria, 2010, by Franz Hafner, ORF..
• Wilderness on the great river. Auen National Park, Documentary, 50 min, Austria, 1996, by Manfred Christ, production. ORF.
• Resistance at current: Hainburg - the Austrian way, Documentary, 60 min Abstract / 80 min. Normal version, Switzerland, 1987, by Roberto A. Epple, Production: vidoc, Vienna / Rorschach, Switzerland. ( The documentary features an up-close picture of the atmosphere and events of the legendary Hainburg Aubesetzung 1984 -. Based on the National Park Werdung )

Media

The National Park Service does not issue the Annual Information Form Au glance. In 2011, this requirement had with the No. 35 a circulation size of 300,000 pieces.

Spring floods between Schönau and Orth / D.

Biberbau