Sölktäler Nature Park's presentation during the kick-of meeting of Bioeuparks in Berlin in April 2013

1. BIOEUPARKS
Sölktäler Nature Park AT

2. Parks in Austria
• 48 Nature Parks
– Association of Austrian Nature Parks
• 6 National Parks
– National Parks Austria

3. Sölktäler Nature Park
• In the Centre of Austria

4. Sölktäler Nature Park
• Located in the Eastern
Alps in the Niederen
Tauern in the Province
of Styria
• 3 Communities:
– Kleinsölk,
– Großsölk and
– St. Nikolai
• 1.600 Inhabitants

5. Ownership structure
• Small Structured
extensive agriculture in
the valleys
• Private owned forests
• Sölktäler Nature Park
does not own land
– Intensive cooperation
with landowners

6. Protected Areas
• Nature Park
– 27.700ha
• Nature 2000
– 18.900ha
• Conservation Area
– 25.500ha
• Nature reserve
– 83ha

7. Management for protected areas
• For Nature 2000 an external agency is
responsible.
• In the project “Green Mountain” a
Management Plan is developed
• Different acitivities in protected areas
– Almpflegeplan
• Management plan for alpine pasture
– Umweltbaustelle
• Volunteers for farmers of alpine pastures
– Almrevitalisierung
• Revitalization of alpine pasture after
catastrophe in 2010

8. Biomass Production
Soelktaeler Nature Park
Biomass exploitation area
ha
Forestal area where biomass will be exploited for the
supply chain
14.943,00
Biomass exploited for the supply chain Ton
Coniferous forest 5.749,05
Mediterranean forest 327,06
Agricultural area 4.992,00
Total 11.068,12

9. Certification
• Sölktäler Nature Park has no forests
– No experience with certification
• Forest owners in Sölktäler Nature Park use PEFC
– Strong regional distribution
– Very large acceptance
– Cost effective

10. Thank you for your attention