Development in Austria

Nature conservation is not a matter of course. As long as an area is suited for different uses there will always be conflicting interests between economy and nature conservation. This is the case in many countries, and Austrian national parks are no exception.

There were concrete plans of major technical projects such as the construction of a huge water reservoir for energy purposes in the Dorfertal (Hohe Tauern, East Tyrol), a hydro-electric power station on the river Danube at Hainburg, and a gun shooting range or a storage power station in the mountains of the Reichraminger Hintergebirge. The internationally most conspicuous protest was certainly the occupation of the Danube floodplain near Hainburg in the winter of 1984/85, which eventually forestalled the construction of a hydro-electric power station there.   

The creation of national parks was strongly promoted among the population by Austrian NGO’s (Austrian Alpine Club, WWF, Association for Nature Conservation, Friends of Nature etc.), which also secured important areas in good time, and by many idealistic people in the national park regions and beyond.    

The promotion work by the “nature conservationists” served as a basis for the politicians to initiate the establishment of national parks.  It was from the very beginning that the Federal Ministry for the Environment of the time participated in the discussion about national parks although nature conservation actually lies within the competence of the Federal Provinces.  However, since national parks are projects of national and even international importance, the Federal Government agreed to join in the planning, establishment and management of national parks and cover 50% of the costs as a rule.

The creation of the national parks took several years in each case because lengthy negotiations between all stakeholders (Federal Government, Federal Provinces, land owners, municipalities, usufructors) were necessary, and public discussion was also time-consuming. 
However, it is not only a long way towards legally establishing a national park, the park management itself is also a continuous project.  Given the constant need to adapt management measures or make other changes in the pursuit of the national park goals and considering the free development of nature in certain areas, a national park must be seen as a dynamic process.  

Downloads

• Überblick 1 (IUCN-Kategorie, Fläche, Gründungsjahr) (PDF 12,81 kB )
• Überblick 2 (Rechtsform, Sitz der Verwaltung, Grundeigentum) (PDF 25,39 kB )

03.05.2011,