Danube-Auen National Park, National park along the Danube River, Lower Austria
Danube-Auen National Park stretches along the river between Vienna and the Slovakian border and includes floodplain forests, backwaters, and open water areas. The landscape alternates between dense deciduous woodland, sandy riverbanks, and quiet side channels that connect with the main current during floods.
The area was officially protected in 1996 after years of protests against a planned hydroelectric plant. The movement of the 1980s united environmentalists and citizens who fought to preserve the floodplain landscape.
The floodplain forests were once used for timber rafting and fishing, and today visitors experience the riverside wilderness through boat tours and observation points. The open waterways and riverside strips show how the landscape shifts with the seasons and how floods shape the vegetation.
Several marked paths lead through the floodplain forests and along the riverbanks, suitable for walks and bicycle tours. Schloss Orth serves as a starting point with information and exhibitions about the river ecosystem.
More than 100 bird species nest here, including white-tailed eagles that regularly appear in the treetops along the river during winter. The old trees provide cavities for woodpeckers and other cavity-nesting birds that rely on standing deadwood.
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