Feihlerhöhe meadow orchard

An orchard near the town center

The "Feihlerhöhe" is a natural jewel close to the town center, with a perfect view of Purkersdorf and the nature park. The Feihlerhöhe is a popular place for people looking for relaxation and it is a nature classroom for school children.

Restoration of an old meadow orchard

The Feihlerhöhe used to be old meadow orchard on a steep slope next to the town center, which - like many other green spaces in the greater Vienna region - was dedicated to a development zone and sold to a housing association in the 1970s. In order to avert the threat of development, the development zoning was reduced in the 1980s, completely re-converted to grassland in 1990 and finally purchased by the municipality in 2006. This enabled the meadow and viewpoint to be secured and restored.

The then heavily overgrown area was restored to its original character and re-planted with old apple tree varieties. In addition, a trail was established directly from the Purkersdorf town center.

Importance of a meadow orchard

The trees in the meadow orchard can provide shade for animals and also provide a special habitat for many micro-organisms. Grass that is not mowed for a long time promotes biodiversity and enlivens the green space. Insects use the long grass, for example, to lay eggs or forage. Wildflowers and various herb species provide an important food source for many insects. With over 5,000 different animal and plant species, meadow orchards are among the most species-rich habitats in Central Europe. Orchard cultivation is thus essential for the preservation of biodiversity and the diversity of fruit varieties.

Promoting biodiversity in the town center

The area serves to maintain the biodiversity of the traditional land use. The Feihlerhöhe is managed by the nature park team as a meadow orchard at the edge of the forest. Since it is also an important habitat for bees, there is a showcase beehive operated by a beekeeper.

Although the Feihlerhöhe does not belong to the nature park proper, it is not far from the nature park entrance Kellerwiese and is serves as aa valuable addition to the nature park.

For several years now, the nature park has been organizing scythe mowing events at the end of May, to which the population is invited to learn this traditional mowing technique and to set up haylofts under the guidance of a scythe master.