: Certified Dark Sky Reserve

The certification is preceded by a multi-year, collaboratively organized process: Since 2023, extensive measurement data has been collected, and a total of nine permanent monitoring stations have been installed throughout the area to ensure the necessary data for the dark natural night sky area. The journey toward becoming a natural night sky area was guided by astrophysicist Dr. Stefan Wallner from the University of Vienna, as well as by the E.C.O. Institute for Ecology and the Environmental Umbrella Organization. In December 2025, the application for certification was submitted to DarkSky International, and now the natural night sky area is delighted to have received this prestigious award.

“Our measurements clearly show that the Eisenwurzen Natural Dark Sky Area is one of the darkest and most pristine regions in Central Europe. Here, the Milky Way is still visible in all its glory—a sight that is becoming increasingly rare in our increasingly light-polluted Europe,” says astrophysicist Dr. Stefan Wallner.

Responsible Use

The nature reserve is open to visitors with free admission. Seasonal events and guided programs—including astrophotography workshops, “Cinema & Stars” evenings, “Sounds of Darkness” nighttime experiences, and a special shooting star tour—offer the opportunity to experience the region’s nocturnal biodiversity and starry skies while adhering to light pollution regulations.

Visitors are asked to behave responsibly and to follow the environmental and lighting guidelines. Research and public outreach activities are supported by two observatories, a mobile telescope, and educational initiatives that deepen understanding of the night sky and its ecological significance.

Project Manager Julia Kaufmann: “The long-term vision for the Eisenwurzen Nature Night Area is to preserve the natural nighttime landscape while promoting scientific research, the public good, and sustainable tourism.”

“The starry sky and natural darkness are natural assets worth protecting. It is our shared responsibility to preserve them for the long term.”
Mag. Dr. Manfred Haimbuchner, Deputy Governor of Upper Austria, Nature and Landscape Conservation

“Gazing up at the clear, unspoiled starry sky is one of the most awe-inspiring experiences nature has to offer. In the Eisenwurzen Dark Sky Reserve, you can still experience this fascination in all its depth. Protecting places like this means preserving a piece of pristine nature—and with it, a sense of wonder about our world—for future generations.”
Hannes Amesbauer, M.A., Provincial Councilor for Nature Conservation, Styria

“Let’s work together to preserve valuable natural habitats—for wildlife, for our environment, and for future generations.”
Mag. Susanne Rosenkranz, Provincial Councilor of Lower Austria.

“The Eisenwurzen Dark Sky Reserve is an example of how protected areas, municipalities, and local communities can work together to protect one of humanity’s most threatened natural resources—the dark night sky.”
Oliver Gulas-Wöhri, Managing Director of the Styrian Eisenwurzen Nature and Geopark

"In a Europe where the night sky is getting about 10 percent brighter every year, the Eisenwurzen region is an absolute rarity. Here we have a unique opportunity to permanently protect one of the continent’s last truly dark regions—not just for ourselves, but for future generations and the countless nocturnal species that depend on natural darkness."
Dr. Stefan Wallner, astrophysicist

“Only about 1% of people in Europe still live under a naturally dark night sky, free from light pollution. Over thousands of years, living beings have adapted to the natural day-night cycle. Wildlife, plant life, and human health all require natural darkness. Light pollution, a recent but rapidly growing phenomenon, threatens these and is now one of the most underestimated environmental hazards on our planet.”
Dr. Stefan Wallner, astrophysicist

“What impresses me most is the sense of unity: 20 municipalities across three federal states have jointly decided to protect the natural night sky. This unprecedented cooperation between Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Styria shows that nature conservation can transcend borders when the will is there.”
Dr. Stefan Wallner, astrophysicist

“The cycle of day and night is one of the oldest constants on our planet. Over millions of years, organisms have adapted to these natural light patterns. Today, we are drastically altering this rhythm within just a few decades. Artificial light at night acts as an intervention in the biological clock of mammals, insects, birds, plants, and ultimately humans as well.”
Gudrun Bruckner, Gesäuse National Park, Nature Conservation and Research

“With the Gesäuse National Park and the ‘Eisenwurzen Natural Night Area’ certification, we are creating a reference area with largely natural nighttime conditions. Such areas are essential for understanding what functioning nighttime ecosystems look like and for quantifying what we have already lost elsewhere.”
Gudrun Bruckner, Gesäuse National Park, Nature Conservation and Research

“Guided hikes and nature interpretation in one of Austria’s darkest regions bring the night to life. The view of the Milky Way, the dance of the fireflies, or the sounds of the night create moments of wonder and offer visitors a new perspective on nature and our place in the universe.”
Katja Weirer, Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park, Environmental Education and Nature Interpretation

“As Kalkalpen National Park falls over the Kalkalpen National Park , a starry sky unfolds—the kind rarely seen in Central Europe anymore. The fact that this unique landscape has now been designated a Natural Dark Sky Area is a powerful testament to the value of unspoiled darkness—and a milestone for one of the largest dark sky regions in the world.”
DI Josef Forstinger, Director of Kalkalpen National Park

“It’s incredible that only 1% of the European population can still enjoy this magnificent night sky. We must constantly remind ourselves that, for our region, this is now a gift and no longer something to be taken for granted.”
Günther Großauer, Mayor of the Municipality of Großraming