Vogelparadies Weidmoos

The Weidmoos is a former raised bog area about 20 km north of the city of Salzburg near the border between Salzburg and Upper Austria. It extends over the communities of Lamprechtshausen and St.Georgen. Originally part of an extensive raised bog complex, humans have transformed it into an industrial landscape through peat mining.

However, after the end of peat mining in 2000, a new, fascinating second-hand habitat was created. It offers a refuge for many bird species that have become rare throughout Europe. Due to the bird species that occur here, the Weidmoos was designated an "EU bird sanctuary" (Commission Directive 79/409/EEC) in 2001 and thus included in the European "NATURA 2000" network.

However, after the serious interventions caused by peat mining, the Weidmoos could not be left to itself. Otherwise, the drained former moor would have very quickly developed into a monotonous forest landscape. Without human help, many of the bird species living here would have lost their new home again.

Between 2003 and 2007, the LIFE project "Habitat management in the Weidmoos bird sanctuary" used active biotope management to help preserve the habitat of these endangered bird species in the long term and make it accessible to visitors.