PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The Natura 2000 site Untersberg-Vorland is situated north of the Untersberg hill in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The Untersberg hill sits on the northernmost edge of the Austrian limestone alps. Its climate is characterised by high summer precipitation. Farming and forestry are dominant land users. Change in land management practices (e.g. intensification of agriculture and abandonment of straw meadows) have in the past adversely affected the conservation status of some important species and habitats that are found within the Natura 2000 site.
OBJECTIVES
The project’s main purpose focused on restoring species and habitats in the Untersberg-Vorland Natura 2000 site. Target species for conservation work included scarce fritillary butterflies (Euphydryas maturna) because the site hosts one of Europe’s largest remaining meta-populations of this protected insect. Other conservation measures aimed to target the following Annex II species: marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), scarce large blue (Maculinea teleius), yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) and fen orchid (Liparis loeselii), as well as the Annex IV species woodland brown (Lopinga achine). Particular attention was intended for the conservation of fen meadows (Annex I of the EC Habitats Directive) and of petrifying springs with tufa formation in fen meadows and woodland.
RESULTS
The project succeeded and was able to improve habitats for the target species by enhancing connectivity between habitat features. This increased the number of larval habitats for butterflies as well as conserved adult habitats. Some 5.9 ha of fen meadows were restored and 3.5 km of forest margins were optimised. Fen meadows have been enriched with typical plant taxa provided by the botanical garden of the University of Salzburg. Crucial habitats for the yellow-bellied toad were also created.
A scheme was developed by the project to identify and implement the most appropriate methods for managing fen meadows. This scheme is now being applied on many other fen meadows in Natura 2000 areas in the state of Salzburg. The population of the Fen Orchid, one of the rarest orchids in Europe, increased thanks to the project’s optimised hay meadow techniques. In addition, newly created habitats along forest edges were populated by the scarce fritillary butterfly (which relies on ash trees).
Overall, the project made a significant contribution to conserve protected butterfly species and ongoing care of hay meadows will safeguard the Natura 2000 site’s special cultivated landscape.
Useful lessons were learnt regarding the role of agri-environment payments to landowners. These proved essential to help compensate for the un-profitable costs involved in mowing wet meadow lands.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report(see "Read more" section).The project succeeded and was able to improve habitats for the target species by enhancing connectivity between habitat features. This increased the number of larval habitats for butterflies as well as conserved adult habitats. Some 5.9 ha of fen meadows were restored and 3.5 km of forest margins were optimised. Fen meadows have been enriched with typical plant taxa provided by the botanical garden of the University of Salzburg. Crucial habitats for the yellow-bellied toad were also created.
A scheme was developed by the project to identify and implement the most appropriate methods for managing fen meadows. This scheme is now being applied on many other fen meadows in Natura 2000 areas in the state of Salzburg. The population of the Fen Orchid, one of the rarest orchids in Europe, increased thanks to the project’s optimised hay meadow techniques. In addition, newly created habitats along forest edges were populated by the scarce fritillary butterfly (which relies on ash trees).
Overall, the project made a significant contribution to conserve protected butterfly species and ongoing care of hay meadows will safeguard the Natura 2000 site’s special cultivated landscape.
Useful lessons were learnt regarding the role of agri-environment payments to landowners. These proved essential to help compensate for the un-profitable costs involved in mowing wet meadow lands.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report(see "Read more" section).
