📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The project aims at maintaining the natural hot spots, preserving biodiversity in Wachau Cultural Landscape and raising awareness of the significance of the site. At the end of the 2 weeks project, five to ten hectares of dry grasslands are expected to be maintained. The cooperation with the Austrian Thayatal National Park offers the possibility to not just get to know this parks but also support the landscape maintenance work there as well. We will spend one day in Thayatal.
💼 What the programme involves
Dry grasslands are a rare and endangered type of habitat in the Wachau valley. We will cut the grass, the bushes and trees and remove the biomass from the areas to hold back the succession. Depending on the necessity will also work in the wetlands where we will selectively remove invasive alien species to support the native flora. We are not only working for biodiversity, but also for the beauty of this unique landscape.
🏠 Accommodation on site
We are staying at the local middle school in Spitz where we will sleep in the gym. Air mattresses are provided but bring your own sleeping bag. In the kitchen of the school we will cook our own meals.
📍 About the location
The Wachau is a stretch of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems. It preserves in an intact and visible form many traces - in terms of architecture, (monasteries, castles, ruins), urban design, (towns and villages), natural biodiversity (dry grasslands, free-flowing Danube, hillside forests) and of vines on stone terraces - of its evolution since prehistoric times.
⚠️ Requirements
We will be working about 6 hours per day – in steep terrain, on hot days, on rainy days etc. Therefore, some basic fitness is required. Before you sign up for this camp PLEASE make sure that you are healthy enough to participate. Please, carefully read through the Equipment section of the provided Information sheet!