World Wetlands Day 2006 in Austria

Mag. Georg Scattolin (georg.scattolin@wwf.at), WWF Österreich (www.wwf.at), writes: "To commemorate WWD 2006 staff members of the WWF Wetland Education Centre Seewinkelhof and the IUCN Green Belt Initiative enjoyed on invitation of the Nature Guides "Naturführer Ramsargebiet Lafnitztal" an excursion to the floodplains of the river Lafnitz. During a visit to the Ramsar Centre Lafnitztal, which was reopened in May 2005, and the protected area Wolfau, the characteristics and the uniqueness of the river Lafnitz with its pristine river dynamics were clearly visible. The proceeding work within the framework of the LIFE Project "Lafnitz- habitat networking along an alpine-pannonic river" (e.g. removing barriers in the migration path of aquatic species) was also impressively demonstrated by members of the project team. In the course of this project water management and nature conservation want to develop the Lafnitz into a European model river. This winter excursion to the Lafnitz Valley was also a welcome opportunity to share experiences for all participants."