Steppen - Pannonic Steppes and Dry
Grasslands
LIFE04 NAT/AT/000002
Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data R e a d m o r e Contact details:
Project Manager: Erwin NEUMEISTER
Tel: +432742900515235
Email: [email protected]
Project description:
Background
In the north-eastern corner of Austria, the warm continental climate supports
arable crops, orchards and vineyards on gently undulating hills. On steeper
slopes and ridges, extreme conditions generated by dry conditions, minimal
development of soil and barren surfaces has favoured highly specialised animal
and plant communities. Unfortunately, the traditional pastures and hay meadows
occupying these exteme habitats have been mostly abandoned, so that the
management essential for these characteristic, but now very rare, plant and
animal communities is lacking. Afforestation, overgrowth with exotic trees,
eutrophication and biocide inflow originating from intensively used arable land
nearby have also taken their toll on these habitats. Objectives
The LIFE Nature Steppen project aimed to restore the last remaining patches of
the priority habitat 'Pannonic steppes and dry grasslands' in eastern Austria.
These sites, now very isolated, have an important stepping stone function, not
only in Austria, but also for highly specialised and endangered species in
neighbouring countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary). Thus, the project seeked to safeguard and restore the small remnants of steppe
habitats left in various sites in Lower Austria and make them fit for the
application of agri-environmental measures. It could serve as a model and give a
practical boost to steppe grasslands conservation in all of Austria and, through
extensive international networking, its eastern neighbours. Management plans would be prepared for 11 areas and monitoring systems
established (priority-setting, indicator species). Two nature reserves were to be
enlarged by purchasing adjoining land. The bulk of the project, however, would
focus on non-recurring management activities, including the removal of trees
and undergrowth and the clearing of small areas. Recurring management
(grazing by livestock and mowing) was to follow these actions on steep, rough
terrain. The beneficiary also aimed to change farmers’ and landowners’ attitudes
towards dry habitats for the better, and to incite their participation in long-term
management activities. Extensive public awareness work, including information about the importance of
these habitats for biodiversity, plus international networking, would also be set
up. The management would be closely monitored and indicator species
evaluated. Finally, several hundred hectares would be restored and included in
agri-environmental programmes.
Results
The project successfully elaborated management plans for the 11 project sites,
gathering data about fauna which will be used as a basis for future management
measures. The two nature protection sites targeted for expansion were enlarged
by some 16.8 ha through measures such as clearance of non site-adapted pine
forests and the invasive tree species ailanthus (Ailanthus altissima). These actions
should aid the conservation in the project area of such valuable steppic
grasslands and dry meadows species as Tatarian Sea-kale (Crambe tataria), the
wild bee Hoplitis moscaryi, the Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) and the European
ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus). In total, more than 80 ha of steppic grasslands and dry meadows were restored
and recurring management measures (i.e. grazing) will continue after the project
end to maintain the favourable conservation status of the target area. Thanks to
finance from the the Austrian agri-environmental scheme, ÖPUL, grazing will
continue until 2013 on six of the project sites: Fehhaube-Kogelstein,
Glaslauterriegel-Heferlberg, Hundsheimer Berg, Braunsberg, Spitzerberg, and
Königswarte-Hindlerberg.
The aims of the project were widely disseminated among the local community
through such awareness-raising measures as public meetings with stakeholders,
information panels and leaflets, a website and a project exhibition. Brochures in
Czech, Hungarian and Slovak have also been published to help promote similar
nature conservation projects in neighbouring countries. The Steppen project was
also presented to experts from the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary, as
well as to participants of the International Botanical Congress, held in Vienna in
2005. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report
(see "Read more" section). Top
Environmental issues addressed:
Themes
Industry-Production - Agriculture - Forestry
Habitats - Grasslands
Keywords
land purchase‚ management plan‚ informal negotiation‚ restoration measure‚ information network‚ diffuse pollution‚ management contract‚ botanical
conservatory‚ ecological assessment‚ environmental education‚ environmental
impact of agriculture‚ eutrophication‚ grassland ecosystem‚ grazing‚ landscape
conservation policy‚ monitoring‚ site rehabilitation‚ public awareness
campaign‚ integrated management‚ policy integration‚ modelling‚ indicator‚ agricultural pollution‚ social participation‚ evaluation method Target EU Legislation
Nature protection and Biodiversity
Directive 92/43 - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora- Habitats Directiv ...
COM(98)42 -"Communication on a European Community Biodiversity
Strategy" (05.02.1998)
COM(2001)162 -"Biodiversity Action Plan for the conservation of natural
resources (vol. I & II)" ...
Land & Soil
Regulation 1257/1999 - Support for rural development from the European
Agricultural Guidance and ...
Target Habitat types
6210 - Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous
substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites)
6240 - Sub-Pannonic steppic grasslands
6250 - Pannonic loess steppic grasslands
8210 - Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation
8220 - Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation
8230 - Siliceous rock with pioneer vegetation of the Sedo-Scleranthion or of
the Sedo albi-Veronicion dillenii
91H 0 - P a n n o n i a n w o o d s w i t h Qu e r c u s p u b e s c e n s
5130 - Juniperus communis formations on heaths or calcareous grasslands
6110 - Rupicolous calcareous or basophilic grasslands of the Alysso-Sedion
albi
Natura 2000 sites
Not applicable
Top
Beneficiaries:
Coordinator
Type of organisation
Description
Partners
Amt der Niederösterreichischen
Landesregierung - Abteilung Naturschutz
Regional authority
The Region of Lower Austria (Land
Niederösterreich) is a territorial authority which
can issue legal provisions binding on its
citizens and carry out those tasks transferred
to it pursuant to the Federal Constitution of
Austria. The main tasks of the region's nature
p r o t e c t i o n a u t h o r i t y a r e t h e m a n a g e m e n t of
Natura 2000 sites, the elaboration of nature
protection concepts, the establishment and
administration of protected areas, the
management of several species and habitat
protection programmes and the production of
publications about nature protection. Naturschutzbund, Austria Ökokreis, Austria Top
Administrative data:
Project reference
Duration
Total budget
EU contribution
Project location
LIFE04 NAT/AT/000002
01-JUN-2004 to 30-NOV -2008
1,459,000.00 €
875,400.00 €
Niederösterreich(Österreich)
Top
Read more:
Brochure: Book
Project web site
Publication: Case study
Title: "Pannonian steppe grasslands in Moravia"
Author: Antonín Buček, Jan Lacina & Zdeněk
Laštůvka No of pages: 40 Project's website Title: "Slope steppes, loess steppes and forest
Publication: Case study
Publication: Case study
Publication: Layman report
Publication: Layman report
Publication: Layman report
Publication: Technical report
Video link
Title: "Slope steppes, loess steppes and forest
steppe meadows in Hungary"/Lejtösztyepek
löszgyepek és erdössztyeprétek
Magyarországon" (4 MB) No of pages: 80 Title: "Panonské stepní trávníky na moravě"
Author: doc. Ing. Antonín Buček et al.
Year: 2006 Editor: ZO ČSOP Veronica No of
pages: 62 Title: Layman report Author: Heinz Wiesbauer
Year: 2008 Editor: Office of the Lower Austrian
Provincial Government No of pages: 26 Title: Layman report Author: Heinz Wiesbauer
Year: 2008 Editor: Office of the Lower Austrian
Provincial Government No of pages: 26 Title: Layman report Author: Heinz Wiesbauer
Year: 2008 Editor: Office of the Lower Austrian
Provincial Government No of pages: 36 Title: "Xerotermné biotopy Slovenska" (2.8 MB)
Author: S. David, H. Kalivoda, E. Kalivodová,
Jozef Šteffe Year: 2007 No of pages: 78 "Felssteppen und Trockenrasen: Das Leben in
den Gräsern und Kräutern" (30')
Top
Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data R e a d m o r e