1. Nature Park Purkersdorf & Blind Date 2011 Nature Park Purkersdorf Sandstein Wienerwald 15.4.2011 – Schloss Orth – DI Gabriela Orosel

2. Location of Nature Park Purkersdorf…  West part of Vienna, next to the capital  Directly located next to the city of Purkersdorf  One of 4 nature parks round Vienna, one of 47 nature parks in Austria  Just 3 minutes walk from the railway station ''Purkersdorf Gablitz'' 20 minutes away from Westbahnhof (trainterminal/subway) or 15 minutes from Hütteldorf (train- & busterminal)

3. Austrian Nature Parks  A diversity of landscapes The Nature Parks of Austria represent a diversity of characteristic landscapes, distinguished through their inviolacy, their natural and cultural highlights and a broad spread of possibilities to enjoy, experience and comprehend nature. Today there are 47 Nature Parks in Austria, covering an area altogether of 500.000 ha. Presently the geographical main focus/emphasis lies in Eastern Austria, the provinces of Lower Austria, Styria and Burgenland, though the number of areas seeking to become a Nature Park is constantly rising.

4. What is a `Nature Park`? A Nature Park is a protected landscape that was created through the inter-action of people and nature. Very often these landscapes took many centuries to form into their current shape, and they thus need to be conserved and maintained by the people who live here. In Nature Parks this cultural landscape of special aesthetic appeal is opened up for the visitors through special arrangements and accessed as an area for recreation.

5. Titel `Nature Park`  The legal objective of a Nature Park is the protection of a landscape in connection with the use of the landscape.  Especially valuable and characteristic landscapes are protected from destruction and development. The appointing of a rural region with the title "Nature Park" happens through the provincial government and faces the region with the following challenges: Protection and development of the landscape.  Creation of recreation possibilities.  Ecological and cultural education opportunities.  Promotion of a sustainable regional development through the creation of new jobs and possibilities for additional income in tourism and agriculture.

6. The green livingroom of Vienna….  This nature park welcomes visitors all year  Size: 77 ha, found in 1975  It´s covered mostly by beech and oak in a setting typical of the 'Wienerwald'  The park offers several animal enclosures (pet zoo, deer and wildboar)  a variety of hiking trails  picnic areas and playgruonds.  Observation tower 'Rudolfswarte'  Schöffelstein monument named after Josef Schöffel (1832-1910)

7. Explore nature….

8. Explore nature with kids…  Adventure stations especially for kids  Maskott green woodpecker SAWI  Stations to explore water  Nature Park School

9. Nature program `Nah Touren´  60 guided tours during the season within the program  Nature Park festival in September  Several workshops for children

10. NEW: Blind Date facts  Project from 2010 to 2011, in cooperation with the tourismus department of lower Austria – total costs: about € 6.500,-  Along the nature path with 15 stations for blind and „normal“ guests as well – to sharpen their senses, to explore nature, feel trees, recognize the forest, smell and listen closer to nature,…..  Starts at the entrance of the nature park and leads 1 km along nature path

11. Blind Date constructions  rope to get guided  wooden construcions  15 Aluminium plates with info in braille/written words

12. Feel the Blind Date…

13. Thank´s for listening!