Nature Park Concept

The Hohe Wand Nature Park is guided by the pillars of conservation, recreation, education and regional development. To ensure structured and forward-looking development in our nature park, the Lower Austrian Nature Conservation Act stipulates that every nature park must draw up a nature park concept, which includes an assessment of the natural environment, a landscape management and development plan, a tourism concept, the nature park’s contribution to regional development, as well as plans for information, education and recreation facilities.

Across Austria, nature parks see themselves as model regions for sustainable development. The strategy paper of the Austrian nature parks stipulates that the functions a nature park must fulfil extend across the four pillars of conservation, recreation, education and regional development. The challenge is to develop these four areas of
responsibility jointly and with equal priority. Conservation:
Objective: To safeguard the natural environment in its diversity and beauty through sustainable use and to preserve the centuries-old cultural landscape.
Measures: • Visitor management • Contractual nature conservation • Protected area supervision and management • Sustainable mobility • Nature information • Protection and conservation of biodiversity

Recreation:
Objective: To offer attractive and well-maintained recreational facilities in keeping with the nature reserve and the character of the landscape.
Measures: • Walking trails • Rest and relaxation areas • Support staff • Playgrounds adapted to the natural environment • Family-friendliness • Accessibility • Zero emissions

Education:
Objective: To bring nature, culture and their interrelationships to life through interactive forms of understanding and experiencing nature, in the spirit of education for sustainable development.
Measures: • Themed trails • Information points, centres and boards • Nature park guided tours • Information material • Seminars, courses, exhibitions • Cultural landscape connections and corresponding educational programmes • Ongoing cooperation with research institutions • Target group-specific programmes • Staff training and further education • Nature park schools • Nature park kindergartens

Regional development:
Objective: To use the nature park to provide impetus for regional development, thereby increasing regional value creation and safeguarding quality of life.
Measures: • Cooperation between nature conservation, agriculture, tourism, business and culture • Socially and environmentally responsible tourism • Nature park specialities according to defined criteria • Nature park restaurants • Marketing and information materials