News
Our nature park and the Rudolfswarte tower are open all year round. There is free access with no entry fees.
Walking in the forest is an ideal way to leave behind the stressful everyday life.
The Nature Park is freely accessible all year round...
...but please observe our nature park rules...
Faciclities opened until end of October
The Wienerwaldhaus Museum and the WC at the nature park center are opend until the end of October 2023. The two "dry" porta-potties at the western edge of the Kellerwiese are available throughout.
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Help needed for translation of web pages into English
Our English skills need improvement! Any support for translation of our German texts into proper English and for corrections of existing English pages is very welcome. If you can help, please send us a short mail: info@naturpark-purkersdorf.at
Label design competition for nature park honey 2023
On 20 May, the "World Bee Day", we started our third label design competition for our nature park honey.
Participation exclusively for young artists up to 15 years.
Theme: "Bees climate heroines & nature park ambassadors".
Deadline for submission: September 3, 2023
More information
Drone flights over the wild boar and red deer enclosure
The nature park supports the research project BAMBI of the FH Hagenberg from mid-March until the end of 2023. The aim is to find a method to record and count wild animals through an automated evaluation of drone infrared images in a wide variety of ecosystems. The Purkersdorf Nature Park is particularly well suited for this research project because there are a known number of animals in our enclosures with which the drone data can be calibrated.
Award-winning educational work in the nature park
This year, our project "Learning Space Nature Park Forest is Class" was awarded the "Hans-Czettel-Förderungspreis", which is awarded by the Lower Austria "Friends of Nature and Environmental Protection" for special achievements.
At the annual "Vernetzt! 2023" network meeting of Lower Austria's 31 nature park schools and 10 nature park kindergartens, the General Special School (ASO) Purkersdorf, which has been a nature park school since 2013, was extended their designation for another four years after passing a successful evaluation.
New deer enclosure
At the end of January our roebuck and the doe have moved to a new enclosure, which is about twice as big. Now they have more retreat possibilities and can better shield from barking dogs. Now we hope for offspring soon.
The enclosure was built with the support of the Lower Austrian Landscape Fund and sponsorship from Rechberger Immobilien GmbH.
Unique: The antlers of our roebuck have grown back asymmetrically this year due to a small injury during the winter, which means that only one antler is fully formed. Next year we expect a normal even antlers again.
The three dwarf goats, which were previously used as "bodyguards" of the deer against martens and foxes, have moved back to the animal enclosure on the Kellerwiese. Here is a report in the daily newspaper "Heute" (in German).
No squeakers in the current season
Unfortunately, for the first time this year, due to the absence of a male wild boar during the roaring season last fall, there are no squeakers in the enclosure. However, in order to secure future squeakers for next spring, the nature park is happy about the addition of a young male and female wild boar thanks to a donation from the Bugl family.
Species of the year 2023
Every year, the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union presents the "Species of the Year". These are animals and plants that are special in their way of life, perhaps threatened and/or particularly important for Austria.
Together with the Purkersdorf City Library, we will feature one of these species every month from January to December. Every month, the library will present information or books about the species. Occasionally, between April and October, we plan several accompanying events in the nature park, which we will announce in time.
Hiking in spring
The forest has its own special charm at any time of the year and in any weather. In spring, when the forest is streaked with lush light green and the wild garlic or swett woodruff are already blooming fragrantly, a walk in the forest is a particularly good way to recharge our "batteries" with new energy. After just 10 minutes of exercise in the fresh air, our sense of well-being increases noticeably.
Please note:
- Make sure you are well dressed. An onion jacket compensates for different air temperatures and weather situations.
- Our hiking trails can be slippery in places. Sturdy shoes with sufficient tread ensure good footing on the sometimes slushy-slippery forest floor and prevent injuries.
- Find out about the length & duration of the planned hike as well as the weather conditions. For example, a leisurely walk from the Kellerwiese along the nature trail to the Deutschwald animal enclosures takes about 30 minutes in each direction (for other walks, see also Hiking in the nature park)
Sweet woodruff
This plant likes it shady and damp in the middle of the beech forest. White flowering and easily recognizable by the whorls of leaves, it is also called mayweed. The ingredient coumarin is responsible for the unmistakable woodruff aroma: it smells spicy, sweet and slightly like hay. In small quantities, woodruff is used as a medicinal plant.
A suitable recipe can be found in our brochure "Genussvolles aus dem Naturpark", for which we received an Energy Globe award 2020.
Last offer: special edition of Nature Park Honey
Our nature park honey not only sweetens tea or many dishes, but also keeps you healthy. In the Nature Park office you can buy jars (250g and 500g) of the delicious honey from last season with the especially pretty winner label of our 2022 competition.
Clean empty jars without lids can be dropped off at any time at Wiener Straße 12 in front of the door to the Nature Park office.
"How forests make us happy and keep us healthy".
In the daily newspaper "Der Standard" of March 21, 2023, Anna Tratter reports on a scientifically based report by the Global Forest Expert Panel (GFEP) on the topic of forests and health. The research report assesses effects of forests on people's physical, mental, and social well-being.
The results are clear: forests reduce risk factors such as air pollution, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Forests also have a therapeutic effect on mental illnesses such as anxiety, depressive disorders, or ADHD. The lead author of the report Dr Cecil Konijnendijk says: "We know from previous studies that seeing trees and being in the forest is good for our health. We are less stressed and more creative. Problems can be solved better."
Read the full article here
Book tip for kids (in German): Ich bau dir ein Haus, kleine Wildbiene!
As soon as the first flowers bloom in spring, wild bees start flying around looking for suitable quarters for their offspring.
From 4 years
Available at naturseiten.at