The Eisenwurzen Nature and Night Sky Reserve has been officially designated as a Dark Sky Reserve and is one of the darkest regions in Europe. Across a total area of 2,396 km², of which 975 km² forms the core zone, the natural night sky is given special protection, thereby preserving a valuable habitat for people, wildlife and nature.
Artificial light alters the night and affects animals, plants and people. Nocturnal animals such as bats, owls and amphibians rely on natural darkness, as do numerous insects. Plants, too, are guided by the cycle of day and night. At the same time, increasing light pollution is causing the starry sky to disappear in many places.
Special lighting guidelines therefore apply in the Eisenwurzen Natural Night Area. Whilst particularly strict regulations are in place in the core zone, care is also taken in the surrounding peripheral zone to use artificial light in a targeted and, as far as possible, gentle manner. Nine monitoring stations continuously record the brightness of the night sky.
The nature reserve is generally freely accessible. Anyone spending the night in the protected areas should be particularly considerate, keep quiet and, if necessary, use red-light torches. The starry sky is particularly impressive around the time of the new moon.
In the Ybbstal Alps, the area around the Dürrenstein-Lassingtal wilderness area and the Ybbstalerhütte in the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park are among the places ideal for experiencing nature under the starry sky. The programme is complemented by guided events and nature education programmes focusing on the night, the stars and light pollution.
The Eisenwurzen Nature Night Area thus highlights what is often overlooked at night: darkness is an essential part of an intact natural environment and, in itself, something worth preserving.
In a Europe where the night sky is becoming around 10 per cent brighter every year, the Eisenwurzen region is an absolute rarity. Here we have a unique opportunity to permanently protect one of the continent’s last truly dark regions – not just for ourselves, but for future generations and the countless nocturnal species that depend on natural darkness.
