On 12.-13.11.2024 representatives of the Donau-Auen National Park and the Austrian waterway company viadonau visited the Schwalben island complex to discuss the procedure for the upcoming construction work.
On the first day the experts met to assess the situation on site and discuss the timetable for the construction work for embankment removal and groyne adaptation. It was important to clarify which roads could be used for access and where a temporary storage area could be set up. The representatives of the National Park were once again able to raise awareness of what needs to be considered on a construction site located in a nature reserve. The central aspect of the inspection was to discuss the areas where clearing must take place to ensure the access of the machinery to remove the underlying embankment structures and groynes.
On the following day, representatives of the national park were out again to mark the clearing boundaries. In that course, the trees to be felled were examined more closely. This is done to guarantee minimal negative impact, maximal safety for the animals and as few trees removed as possible. Particular attention was paid to nests of birds and squirrels but also hollows, which might be used by other animals such as bats. In addition to binoculars, an endoscope was handy to examine hollows within reach. If nests or hollows were discovered in a tree, the specific coordinates were noted. A representative of the Donau-Auen National Park will always be present when these trees are felled to check the tree before and after felling for tree-dwelling animals. If an animal in need of assistance should be discovered, the experts will immediately take care of it and bring it to a nearby animal sanctuary.
The project area of Schwalbeninsel ("swallow island") is located in the eastern part of the Donau-Auen National Park, Austria directly on the main river channel. The main island offers a wonderful gradient of habitats. Upstream there are gravel banks, further downstream willow bushes, which finally merge into different succession stages of a well-mixed alluvial forest. Several small islands have formed in the groyne field upstream of this remarkable area. Throughout the whole project area, the embankment will be removed and the groynes adapted. The aim is to further dynamize and enlarge the area in order to promote these now rare habitats.
