The largest serial UNESCO World Heritage Site is getting even bigger

The Austrian areas were added to the list in 2017. They are located at Kalkalpen National Park and in the Dürrenstein Wilderness Area in Lower Austria. The latter was recently extended by around 3,500 ha on the Styrian side in Lassingtal. A nomination as a World Natural Heritage Site is planned. "Together with the Dürrenstein Wilderness Area, we have been part of this UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 2017, making us the first and only World Natural Heritage Site in Austria. Together with our partners, we will continue to responsibly develop this extended serial World Natural Heritage Site. In doing so, we are making an important contribution to preserving our unique natural landscape for future generations," says National Park Director Volkhard Maier, delighted with the addition of the UNESCO beech forest protection areas.

"Our efforts have more than paid off. I am delighted that we have been able to contribute to the expansion of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. After all, an intact natural environment with a diversity of plants and animals is invaluable. These impressive forest areas also help us in the fight against the climate crisis and bind CO2 sustainably. We must protect and preserve the last untouched patches of nature in Europe. So that our children and grandchildren can still experience real nature. We have achieved this with the extension of the UNESCO World Heritage Site," says Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler.

Due to the unique cooperation of so many European countries in one project, the European Commission has taken notice. Based on the experience of those involved in this World Heritage Site, it is co-financing a 4-year project on the values of old growth forests in Europe entitled "Protection of Old Growth Forests in Europe: Natural Heritage, Outline, Synthesis and Ecosystem Services" as part of the "LIFE Preparatory Projects" funding line. The Austrian side, financed by the Ministry of Climate Protection, Kalkalpen National Park, the Joanneum Research Center in Graz and the E.C.O. Institute for Ecology in Klagenfurt are taking part.

European beech forests on the advance

The UNESCO beech forest protected areas are located in Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. Each sub-region is unique in its genetics, climatic conditions, soils, flora and fauna. The European beech, a tree species found only in Europe, is extraordinarily adaptable to a wide range of climatic, geographical and physical factors and therefore colonizes a wide variety of locations. It is highly competitive and has been the most successful tree species in Europe since the last ice age.

12,000 years ago, during the last ice age, the warmth-loving beech retreated to the ice-free areas of southern Europe. As the ice slowly disappeared, the beech began to recolonize Europe. It is the only tree species in the world that has managed to recolonize an entire continent in this way.

Despite the dominance and competitiveness of the beech, many thousands of species of plants, animals and fungi can be found in beech (primeval) forests. Beech (primeval) forests often appear dark and shady, but in an untouched state with lying and standing deadwood, they offer habitats for

many rare species that would otherwise find little space. The protection of Europe's last (primeval) beech forests therefore makes a valuable contribution to the preservation and restoration of biodiversity and carbon storage.