Climate Protection Minister Gewessler visits the Gesäuse National Park: "a special natural jewel".
Austria's youngest national park, the Gesäuse National Park, received a distinguished visitor today: Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler praised the national park as a "special natural jewel". The Minister also had the pleasure of reopening the theme trail at the Weidendom, which was largely destroyed by a storm last year. The path was restored with federal funds.
The Gesäuse National Park is the youngest national park in Austria and, as the only national park in Styria, offers an important retreat for flora and fauna. As an important regional development project, it also brings 3 million euros per year in direct added value to the region. In the last 20 years, the region has benefited from 40 million euros in funding, 20 million of which came from the federal government.
Workshops are held in the Weidendom to introduce school classes to the values of wilderness, climate protection and sustainability. Several themed trails make it possible to experience the unique nature in the Gesäuse. One of these trails is the "Lettmair Au", a 1.2 km long circular trail starting at the Weidendom and leading over footbridges through the floodplain landscape of the Enns. It was largely destroyed by a storm in August 2022. With 91,000 euros in federal funds, the theme trail has now been restored, provided by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Innovation and Technology.
Minister Leonore Gewessler was able to reopen the path on 30 May 2023. She expressly thanked the workers of the Styrian Provincial Forests for the careful restoration work: "Here in the Lettmair Au, we people can experience the beauty of nature up close. If we take with us the realisation that we have to protect this unique treasure as best we can, we have already gained a lot. Many thanks to everyone who helped to make the pathway accessible again - you can see that this wonderful floodplain landscape is being treated very carefully here."
For the National Park Director Herbert Wölger allowing nature" is the top priority: "Even with such a fatal storm as occurred on 18 August 2022, nature knows how to deal with it. With this in mind, we primarily tried to restore the walkability of the path without interfering too much with natural processes. The majority of the fallen trees were therefore left lying around. Now, on the theme trail, you have the opportunity to experience how something new emerges after a destructive event.
The regional member of parliament was also pleased about the visit from Vienna. Lambert SchönleitnerThe Gesäuse National Park is of special importance for the region and the whole of Styria: as a retreat for nature, as a place of recreation for people and as a motor for Styrian tourism. Those people who have developed this project so successfully over the last 20 years deserve our special respect and thanks."
Please direct any queries to the press team of the Green Regional Parliamentary Club:
Irene Wolf-Fritz: 0676 86660785
Christoph Pelzl: 0676 86660850
