National Parks and Biosphere Reserves in Austria
Here, we’re simply guests, invited to admire

Austria's strictly protected national parks and biosphere reserves offer visitors the chance to discover nature in its original state and experience its scenic beauty.

Austria is a wonderfully green country: Almost half of it is surface is covered in trees, with an increasing number of hardwood and mixed forests, providing perfect conditions for thriving flora and fauna. To preserve the natural regions, Austria has put about 48% of its area under special protection. It’s a significant effort to sustainably safeguard Austria's unique landscapes, biodiversity, and the rejuvenating environments that people cherish.

In the national parks, the preservation of ecosystems according to strict criteria is top priority. Nature can flourish largely undisturbed. The nature parks reconcile nature and management by humans, who have often been shaping these cultural landscapes for centuries. The model regions of the biosphere parks also preserve the natural regions and cultural landscapes within the framework of the UNESCO programme. And a completely untouched natural landscape with rare plants and animals thrives in the wilderness area.

Protected nature in Austria

6 National Parks

47 Nature Reserves

4 UNESCO-Biosphere Parks

1 Wilderness Area UNESCO World Heritage Site

“When I’m birdwatching at Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park, I feel like I have arrived. Everything’s so quiet, and all I hear and see is nature’s fantastic spectacle.”

Elena Turac, Ranger at Burgenland's Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park

Austria's national parks

Austria’s six national parks showcase impressive ecological diversity: Vast steppes, wild primeval and riparian forests, gentle valley landscapes, rugged limestone mountains, and ice-covered glaciers. Each national park has its own distinct character.

Kalkalpen National Park

Four-fifths of the national park in Upper Austria is covered in forest, with spruce, fir, and beech trees dominating the landscape.

Kalkalpen National Park

Hohe Tauern National Park

Pristine nature, majestic peaks, and a rich variety of wildlife and plants. A precious natural gem that spans areas in Tirol, Carinthia, and the SalzburgerLand.

Hohe Tauern National Park

Thayatal National Park

In the secluded Green Canyon of Lower Austria, nestled between dense deciduous trees, find steep cliffs and the river that gives the valley its name.

Thayatal National Park

Gesäuse National Park

Austria's newest national park, located in Styria, can be explored along the roaring Enns River and the rugged limestone mountains. This is nature at its most pristine!

Gesäuse National Park

Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park

The unique landscape of the steppe lake is home to a rich birdlife and showcases a fascinating variety of flora. A true hotspot for biodiversity!

Neusiedler See-Seewinkel

Donau-Auen National Park

An ancient forest right on the doorstep of Vienna, the world's greenest city? It's true! The free-flowing Danube here is a vital habitat for numerous endangered species.

Donau-Auen National Park

Sustainable outdoor-fun

Hohe Tauern National Park

The Hohe Tauern National Park spans regions in Tirol, Carinthia, and the SalzburgerLand. This unique natural world is crisscrossed with numerous hiking trails - offering around 4,300 kilometres / 2,672 miles of alpine paths. Mountain huts and snack stations provide convenient stops for extended tours.

The region is perfect for experiences that open your eyes and heart to the beauty of nature: Whether in the Weissee Glacier World, by the Pasterze glacier, or through the Leitenkammer Gorge. And the Krimml Waterfalls are undoubtedly one of the Austria's most famous natural wonders.

Hohe Tauern National Park
How do you become a national park ranger?

They say people excel at what they love doing. Hermann Jansesberger, one of over 200 rangers in one of six national parks, is a prime example of this. Hermann is a true “nature enthusiast.” He knows every moss by name and can vividly recount the ancient history of any rock. Every beetle he encounters is worth a pause. So, how does one become a national park ranger?

A love for nature and enjoyment of working with people are essential for anyone looking to become a ranger. The roles vary from park to park but generally include guiding visitors and school groups, maintaining and monitoring educational trails and observation huts, giving talks, overseeing the area, and carrying out monitoring tasks.

Learn how to become a park ranger

Austria's biosphere reserves

In UNESCO biosphere reserves, environmental protection is the top priority. At the same time, we humans use them for agriculture, sport and recreation. And yet the ecosystems are thriving.

Biosphere Reserve Großes Walsertal

"Make the most of nature without harming it" – that’s the motto of the Biosphere Reserve in Vorarlberg, where biodiversity and land management go hand in hand.

Biosphere Reserve Großes Walsertal

Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald

The area covers large parts of Lower Austria and Vienna, blending culture, biodiversity, and sustainable land management.

Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald

Biosphere Reserve Unteres Murtal

The future of Austria's second-largest floodplain as a sustainable habitat is secured through its status as a biosphere park.

Biosphere Reserve Unteres Murtal

Biosphere Park Salzburger Lungau

Together with the Carinthian Nockberge region, the region aims to preserve its natural beauty and promote sustainable development.

Biosphere Park Salzburger Lungau

Biosphere Reserve Nockberge

Combined with the Salzburg Lungau region, the Nockberge Biosphere Reserve forms the largest biosphere park in Austria.

Biosphere Reserve Nockberge

Awaken all your senses!

Why does nature feel so restorative?

Nature’s feel-good package is simple yet powerful, benefiting both body and mind with fresh air, warm sunshine, vibrant forests, meadows, and natural light.

Our senses come alive in meadows full of diverse flowers and rich biodiversity. The more variety, the better we feel. Nature also grounds us - sitting at a desk doesn’t fully engage our senses or soul. Humans are made for nature, not computers. The best place to recharge is in the mountains or ancient forests, as we are naturally attuned to thrive in these surroundings.

Austria's nature parks

Nature is used in a variety of ways in nature parks as cultural landscapes - mainly for agriculture and as recreational areas. Careful attention is paid to protecting and maintaining the biological balance and biodiversity. Here are some examples:

Nature Park in the Burgenland

Nature Park in the Bregenzerwald

Nature Park Tiroler Lech

Climate Protection Info

Why is biodiversity so important for climate protection?

An intact ecosystem is home to countless species of microorganisms, fungi, plants and animals. All these creatures and the environment they live in need each other and are intricately balanced. As ecosystems in their own right, they make a significant contribution to a functioning climate and provide fresh air and clean water. A healthy forest, for example, filters the greenhouse gas CO₂ from the air. Biodiversity is therefore vital for humans, animals and plants.

If the balance and interaction of organisms is disturbed by external influences, the intact biosphere begins to falter. However, a stable climate requires a healthy flora and fauna. Austria and its regions are aware of their responsibility and are taking numerous measures to preserve and protect precious natural habitats and strengthen biodiversity.

FAQ

When a region is officially designated as a national park and protected area, following the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it's recognised as an especially valuable natural space. Protecting the ecosystems takes priority here, while people can still enjoy its unique beauty. Nature is allowed to flourish with minimal disturbance, creating a sustainable, thriving environment that's perfect for both wildlife and visitors.

The ecological diversity of Austria’s six national parks is truly impressive: Vast steppes, wild-growing primeval and floodplain forests, gentle valley landscapes, rugged limestone mountains, and icy glaciers. Each national park showcases its own unique character in terms of wildlife and plant life.

A nature park protects and preserves cultural landscapes for people, helping raise awareness of conservation and sustainable development. It's a home for a variety of species, while being used mainly for agriculture. These parks are open to everyone and serve both as spots for relaxation and as spaces that facilitate learning about nature.

Austria boasts 48 nature parks across eight provinces, covering over 6,000 km² / 600,000 ha. These parks are home to more than 760,000 people living in over 200 nature park communities. Each park has its own unique character. Since the formation of the Austrian Nature Park Association in 1995, these regions have gained a shared identity.

In UNESCO biosphere parks, people make use of nature in a sustainable way. Ecological research for sustainable development is just as important here as eco-friendly economic practices. The ecosystems in these biosphere parks, defined by internationally agreed standards, are carefully protected and maintained.

In Austria, you'll find the following official biosphere parks:

A wilderness area is completely untouched by humans, offering an undisturbed haven for wildlife and plant species, while also helping to reduce CO2 levels. Wilderness areas are becoming increasingly important in the face of climate change. In Austria, you can find such pristine, wild areas in the Göstling Alps of Lower Austria, particularly in Dürrenstein-Lassingtal – the country's only designated wilderness area. Covering 4.2 km2 / 1037 ac, the "Rothwald primeval forest" is gradually being expanded as a protected reserve. Since 2003, this wilderness area has been under IUCN protection as a strict nature reserve.

There are other protected areas that follow the same non-intervention management style, similar to the primeval forest as a natural landscape type. These include the core zones of strictly protected national parks, where nature is allowed to thrive without human interference, and the Natural Forest Reserves.

Spanning an area of 1,856 km2 / 458,627 ac, Hohe Tauern National Park is Austria’s oldest and biggest. It is split into a core zone (1,213 km2 / 299,738 ac) and a larger outer zone (643 km2 / 158,889 ac) and stretches over three provinces.

  • Are you allowed to ride a bike in a national park?

    On marked cycle routes leading through the national park area, cycling is allowed. Cycling off the paths is not permitted.

  • Are you allowed to swim or take a boat ride?

    Boating and swimming are permitted in certain designated areas. Flora and fauna are protected on all other bodies of water.

  • Are you allowed to pick flowers and mushrooms?

    No, national parks are valuable natural reserves. Natural materials may therefore not be removed.

  • Are you allowed to camp in a National Park?

    Camping is only permitted on official and explicitly designated campsites.

  • Are you allowed to stray off the designated paths?

    No, the designated routes must be followed. Only then a national park experience in harmony with nature is possible.

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