WH Beech Forest - Boundary Modification 2022

Associated persons Anna Kovarovics, Hanns Kirchmeir
Clients Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology
Regions Austria, Croatia, Slovakia
Year 2021

With 94 sections in 18 European countries, the European Beech Forests World Heritage Site is one of the most extensive World Heritage Sites on the UNESCO list. In Austria, in addition to areas in the Kalkalpen National Park, forests in the Dürrenstein Wilderness Area are also part of it. Due to the extension of the wilderness area surrounding the Lassing Valley in Styria, new areas offered to extend the World Heritage area as well. Another section in Croatia, the Paklenica National Park, sought to unite its two World Heritage areas in the National Park into one area and thus increase the World Heritage area. E.C.O. was responsible for the technical coordination of the boundary adjustments of the two World Heritage areas as well as for the preparation of the corresponding submission to UNESCO. This is the first step in connecting the more than 90 European World Heritage Sites as well as to give more space to the existing ecological processes in the areas.