WEIDMOOS - Habitat management in the Special Protected Area Weidmoos, Austria

The project aimed to maintain and optimise the breeding, resting and wintering areas of birds and increase acceptance of the SPA among the local population at Weidmoos, located in a bog region north of Salzburg in Austria. Environmental surveys and monitoring programmes were conducted and also enabled the effects of dam construction measures on the water quality to be monitored. The existing management plan was used as a basis for drawing up detailed proposals for the project’s conservation measures. Key habitat restoration work involved the closure of drainage ditches and the construction of dams. Some 45 small dams were constructed and landscape modeling was undertaken to hold the water on site. Ongoing maintenance plans were developed to sustain the conservation measures in the peripheral areas of the Weidmoos which are insufficiently irrigated or not irrigated at all. Visitor pressure was managed by constructing facilities to encourage people into the southern Weidmoos and so leave the other parts of the SAC free from human disturbance. Interpretation materials were provided throughout the visitor areas to raise awareness about the ecology and associated conservation actions. The project carried out publicity work with several events, school projects and press articles.