What is a nature park?

A nature park is a cultural landscape shaped by human activity. Careful and sustainable forms of land use and landscaping shape the appearance of that landscape and offer special incentives for recreational activities in nature.

A nature park is intended to promote local ways of land use and to pursue appropriate forms of nature conservation. The preservation and transfer of knowledge about nature and culture are as much part of the tasks of a nature park as the support of local and regional cycles and processes.

The idea of nature parks is based on four pillars that are intended to work alongside on an equal footing: Conservation, education, regional development, and recreation.

Conservation:

The goal is to conserve the natural environment with all its diversity and beauty through sustainable use and to preserve the centuries-old cultural landscape through biodiversity projects, visitor guidance, contractual nature conservation (ÖPUL), conservation area maintenance and management, “gentle mobility”, natural history information and research projects.

Recreation:

The goal is to offer attractive recreational facilities that are in harmony with the nature preserve and the landscape, such as hiking trails, places to rest and relax, playgrounds adapted to the natural environment and nature educators all with a family friendly atmosphere and accessible for everyone.

Education:

The goal is to use interactive means to make learning about and experiencing nature, culture and their interrelationships more tangible in order to educate visitors on the importance of sustainable development. This is further achieved with the help of Nature Park schools and Nature Park kindergartens, themed trails, information points, centers and boards, guided Nature Park tours, information materials, seminars, courses, exhibitions, cultural landscape interrelations and corresponding educational offers, ongoing cooperation with research institutions, special offers for specific target groups, training and further education for Nature Park employees.

Regional development:

The goal is to create impulses for regional development through the Nature Park in order to increase regional added value and ensure the quality of life through close cooperation between nature conservation, agriculture, tourism, trade and culture, socially and environmentally compatible tourism, Nature Park specialties according to defined criteria, jobs in the Nature Parks, Nature Park restaurants and marketing and information materials.