Funded Projects

Grant Number: BMLRT/III-2021-M10/23
Duration: November 1, 2021, through March 31, 2026
Grant Amount: €3,301,492.33

Project Description:

The project area is located in the tri-border region of the Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, and Styria—in the heart of Austria—in an area with exceptionally high biodiversity and a multitude of protected species; it is characterized by extensive forests and a landscape that is difficult to access. This area is home to the last remaining “ primeval forest ” sites and areas suspected of harboring primeval forest in the Northern Limestone Alps.

Preserving habitat stepping stones is also intended to give less mobile species the opportunity to exchange genetic material between the large protected areas of the Gesäuse National Park, the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area, and the Kalkalpen National Park .

For this reason, this funding project sought additional biotope stepping stones that met the following criteria:

• Permanent removal from use (no harvesting of biomass for forestry purposes)
• Minimum size: 30 ha
• Location: ideally 2–3 km apart
• Forest coverage (near-natural, high biodiversity, mixed deciduous forest dominated by beech trees, tree stand at least 120 years old)
• Lump-Sum Settlement
• However, hunting may continue, as may research and monitoring.
• Under Contract-Based Conservation: Entry in the Land Register

• Updated and consolidated data on potential stepping-stone areas
• At least 3 new stepping-stone areas
• There is corresponding documentation and a contract for each stepping stone area

During the project period, an additional five habitat stepping stones, covering a total area of approximately 390 ha, were permanently taken out of use.

Grant Number: C321111
Duration: August 11, 2023, through October 31, 2025, extended through November 30, 2025
Grant Amount: €321,526.00

Project Description:

The project concept calls for the establishment of a joint monitoring initiative—led by the “ Kalkalpen National Park ”—involving three federal states (Upper Austria, Styria, and Lower Austria) across three protected areas (the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area, the Gesäuse National Park, and the “ Kalkalpen National Park ”), from which all three institutions will be able to benefit in the future, both individually and collectively.
The goal was to establish the foundation for joint monitoring at three stepping stones—already contractually designated—between the three protected areas; to identify conservation targets that had not yet been sufficiently addressed in the work of the “ Kalkalpen National Park ”; to lay the groundwork for future monitoring of these targets; and to ensure that conservation targets already integrated into the work are maintained in the monitoring process.

Grant Number: LE-78-03-OOE-2023-16265
Duration: November 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024
Grant Amount: €48,000.00

Project Description:

Since its founding, the Upper Austrian Kalkalpen National Park has been continuously organizing awareness-raising programs. Trained rangers provide information about the national park’s responsibilities and impact during guided tours. Tours lasting several hours, for which a fee is charged, receive financial support from the State of Upper Austria and the EU.

The goal of the project is to conduct 480 guided ranger tours in the national park, each with at least 6 participants and lasting a minimum of three hours. The aim is to strengthen knowledge and awareness of the interconnections in nature and to highlight to the general public the benefits of a forested wilderness and the species and habitats it contains, including managed alpine pastures, bogs, and springs.

The results are reported in the annual activity reports.

Grant Number: LE-78-03-OOE-2023-5483
Duration: February 9, 2023, through March 31, 2026
Grant Amount: €177,497.00

Project Description:

The project involves the second quantitative survey of selected mountain forest bird species listed in the EU Birds Directive (and other endangered breeding bird species) across seven representative sample plots in the Kalkalpen National Park , during the 2023–2025 breeding seasons (a revision of the 2009–2011 forest bird survey).
In addition to a quantitative comparison of population numbers, this study includes an in-depth discussion of potential impacts on bird fauna associated with the bark beetle management measures that have been carried out in the national park for many years, as well as possible management recommendations.

Grant Number: LE-78-03-OOE-2023-11565
Duration: August 10, 2023, through December 31, 2024
Grant Amount: €75,278.81

Project Description:

The “ Kalkalpen National Park ” project protects Austria’s last major forested wilderness, home to the longest natural stream system in the Northern Limestone Alps. This area contains habitats with an exceptional diversity of animal and plant species. Of particular note is the high number of primeval forest species that can survive only in forests with a sufficient number of old trees and deadwood. As part of the funding project, selected species are being specifically monitored for population trends and threat status.        

Project Goal:

• Assessment of the population status (and trends) of selected species and, where necessary, the timely and targeted implementation of measures
• Raising Awareness of National Parks, Species Conservation, and Nature Conservation Issues
• Increasing support for the national park (especially in the region) through field trips

The results are published on an ongoing basis under the “Research Results” subheadings and reported in the annual activity reports. As soon as approved interim or final reports on the funded project are available, they will be posted here.

Grant Number: LE-78-03-OOE-2023-9491
Duration: June 30, 2023, through December 31, 2024
Grant Amount: €173,479.26

Project Description:

Kalkalpen National Park protects Austria’s last large forested wilderness, home to the longest natural stream system in the Northern Limestone Alps. This area contains habitats with an exceptional diversity of animal and plant species. Long-term monitoring of environmental parameters (climate, springs, integrated monitoring) is conducted as part of this project and makes an important contribution to international ecosystem research.

Project Goal:

• Continuation of the long-standing monitoring of environmental parameters
• Raising Awareness of National Parks, Species Conservation, and Nature Conservation Issues
• Increasing support for the national park (especially in the region) through field trips

The results are published on an ongoing basis under the “Research Results” subheadings and reported in the annual activity reports. As soon as approved interim or final reports on the funded project are available, they will be posted here.

Grant Number: BMLRT/III-2025-M10/4 (FAI.106)
Duration: September18 , 2025, through October 31, 2028
Grant Amount: €470,710.03

Project Description:

Since 2017, the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area and the “ Kalkalpen National Park ” have been home to Austria’s first and only World Natural Heritage Site. Just in time for the tenth anniversary of the designation, this distinction is to be made even more visible and tangible.
Under the leadership of the “ Kalkalpen National Park ” (Lassing Valley Nature Park), coordinated measures are to be implemented in both protected areas to impressively demonstrate to visitors the ecological benefits of the beech forests in the Kalkalpen.
The project also includes area-specific measures in both protected areas aimed, on the one hand, at closing gaps in mapping and, on the other, at completing the implementation of the World Natural Heritage designation through negotiations with land managers regarding the termination of existing but no longer used rights in the World Heritage forests.

Project Goal:

• Implementation of area-specific measures (refinement of monitoring, including on the topic of climate change in the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area)
• Implementation of a regional communication and awareness-raising strategy on the topic of UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites
• Expansion of the media offerings in the two protected areas, including in the area of digital media as a tool for raising awareness
• Development of a Photo Book on UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites
• National and international coordination with World Heritage sites and stakeholders

The results are reported in the annual activity reports. As soon as approved interim or final reports on the funded project are available, they will be posted here.

Grant Number: LE78-03-OOE-2025-47428
Duration: July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027
Grant Amount: €144,000.00

Project Description:

Since its founding, the Upper Austrian Kalkalpen National Park has been continuously organizing awareness-raising programs. Trained rangers provide information about the national park’s responsibilities and impact during guided tours. Tours lasting several hours, for which a fee is charged, receive financial support from the State of Upper Austria and the EU.

Project Goal:

The goal of the project is to conduct 1,200 guided ranger tours in the national park, each with at least 6 participants and lasting a minimum of three hours. The aim is to enhance knowledge and awareness of the interconnections in nature and to highlight to the general public the benefits of a forested wilderness and the species and habitats it contains, including managed alpine pastures, bogs, and springs.

The results are reported in the annual activity reports.

Grant Number: LE-78-03-BML-2025-55906
Duration: November 1, 2025, through August 31, 2025
Grant Amount: €99,882.30

Project Description:

The project is intended to prepare for the 2027 anniversary year (30 years of “ Kalkalpen National Park,” 10 years as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, and the Upper Austria Culture Expo), and initial steps are already being taken. To this end, six work packages have been put together covering topics such as: “Coordination within the organizational team,” “Preparation of presentation materials,” “Media content for the anniversary year,” “Presentations to increase acceptance,” and “Preparation of a commemorative publication,” all of which are to be completed by the end of August 2026.

Project Goal:

Only through consistent communication—across a wide range of media platforms—of the nature conservation and sustainability efforts of national park administrations, including their (inter)national commitments, can the value of a protected area be made accessible and understandable to the general public.

Anniversary events, in particular, have proven to be effective opportunities to implement measures that raise awareness and foster acceptance, as well as to discuss past achievements, the current situation, and future prospects. The Association of Friends of the " Kalkalpen National Park " ( Kalkalpen National Park ) intends to make special use of this opportunity in the present grant project, as 2027 will be an important year of anniversaries and events for the " ":

• 30 Years of " Kalkalpen National Park " and
• For 10 years, it has been part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage series “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe.” Furthermore, in
• Upper Austria will host the KulturExpo on the UNESCO World Heritage site “Pile Dwellings” to mark the 55th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention and the 35th anniversary of its ratification in Austria, featuring all four of Upper Austria’s World Heritage sites.

These three events should be well-planned and prepared in 2026 so that they can provide enough content to fill the entire year of 2027 and conserve personnel resources. A key focus will be on addressing gaps in content related to gender equity while keeping sustainable, resource-efficient solutions in mind.

The results are reported in the annual activity reports. As soon as approved interim or final reports on the funded project are available, they will be posted here.

Grant Number: LE-78-03-BML-2025-55835
Duration: January 1, 2026, through March 31, 2028
Grant Amount: €688 ,649.67

Project Description:

Through five work packages, the project aims to compile the current state of knowledge regarding the tasks of the European Green Butterfly ( Kalkalpen National Park ) and make relevant findings available to the public. To this end, scientific monitoring programs have been designed in the areas of the environment, species, and management; these will provide a wealth of new data and offer up-to-date information on population trends and threat levels.

Project Goal:

The goal of this funded project is to comprehensively document changes in the national park and to provide up-to-date, high-quality information on protected species—including their level of threat and population sizes—in order to inform decisions regarding conservation measures in the Kalkalpen National Park , as well as to gather and share relevant knowledge with the public.

The results are published on an ongoing basis under the “Research Results” subheadings and reported in the annual activity reports. As soon as approved interim or final reports on the funded project are available, they will be posted here.

Grant Number: LE-73-15-BML-2026-63733
Duration: March 16, 2026, through December 31, 2027
Grant Amount: €398 ,667.95

Project Description:

The project is intended to prepare for the anniversary year 2027 (30 years of the “ Kalkalpen National Park,” 10 years as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, and the Upper Austria Culture Expo) in order to once again make the “ Kalkalpen National Park ” clearly visible in the region and within the national park itself with its new logo. To this end, six work packages covering topics such as “regional information boards,” “directional signs,” “rest areas,” “hiking trail signage,” “viewpoints,” “accompanying awareness-raising initiatives,” and “coordination” have been put together and will be completed by the end of 2028.

Project Goal:

Only through consistent communication—across a wide range of media platforms—of the nature conservation and sustainability efforts of national park administrations, including their (inter)national commitments, can the value of a protected area be made accessible and understandable to the general public.

Anniversary events, in particular, have proven to be effective opportunities to implement measures that raise awareness and foster acceptance, as well as to discuss past achievements, the current situation, and future prospects. The Association of Friends of the " Kalkalpen National Park " ( Kalkalpen National Park ) intends to make special use of this opportunity in the present grant project, as 2027 will be an important year of anniversaries and events for the " ":

• 30 Years of " Kalkalpen National Park " and
• For 10 years, it has been part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage series “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe.”
• In addition, Upper Austria will host the KulturExpo on the UNESCO World Heritage site “Pile Dwellings” to mark the 55th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention and the 35th anniversary of its ratification in Austria, during which all four of Upper Austria’s World Heritage sites will be showcased.

These three events should be well-planned and prepared in 2026 so that they can provide enough content to fill the entire year of 2027 and conserve personnel resources. A key focus will be on addressing gaps in content related to gender equity while keeping sustainable, resource-efficient solutions in mind.

The results are reported in the annual activity reports. As soon as approved interim or final reports on the funded project are available, they will be posted here.