Contact
Our story
With a population of 6100 and an area of 586 km², the Styrian Eisenwurzen Nature & Geopark was founded by 7 Styrian municipalities in 1996. The Eisenwurzen Nature Park is shaped by a diverse natural and cultural landscape. Beautiful forests, wide meadow orchards, romantic alpine pastures and breath-taking river valleys are surrounded by the mountain peaks of the Gesäuse and Hochschwab mountains. In the 15th and 16th century, when Eisenwurzen was in its prime, hammer mill owners, charcoal burners and raftsmen shaped the region with ore being extracted from the Styrian Erzberg mine and then manufactured into high-quality products in the Eisenwurzen (“iron roots”).
Our tasks and goals
A Nature Park is a protected landscape that owes its existence to the interaction of man and nature. Our objectives enshrined in the Nature Park regulations are as follows: preservation, education, recreation and regional development. A benefit for the landscape, nature and regional population can only be achieved if we focus on all four features. A well-coordinated Nature Park team has dedicated itself to the cause of making the Nature Park accessible to the public in all its diversity and disparity.
Our team
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Oliver Gulas-Wöhri MSc CEO and Geoparkmanagement“Our region is full of hidden natural and cultural gems. I would like to make my own contribution to preserving them for the future.”
Oliver has been our project manager since 2015 and our CEO since 2020. He studied mountain and climate geography at Karl-Franzens-University Graz. Among other things, he is responsible for Geopark matters. o.gulas@eisenwurzen.com -
Elisabeth Riegelthaler Accounting
“Making the Nature Park and the value of unspoilt nature visible and tangible is a matter of great importance to me.”
Elisabeth has been responsible for accounting since 2014. e.riegelthaler@eisenwurzen.com -
Andrea Matousch Travel agency and Eventmanagement
“Those who find their way to nature also find their way to themselves.”
Andrea has been working in the Nature Park office since 2016. She is responsible for coordinating school trips and the eventmanagement. a.matousch@eisenwurzen.com -
Gabriel Kirchmair, MSc Naturpark- & Projektmanagement
“Only those who go out and experience the biological diversity that surrounds us for themselves will be willing to preserve this diversity. The principle of protect and benefit applies here in the nature park.”
Gabriel studied biology with a focus on ecology in Graz and has been our biodiversity expert since February 2022. g.kirchmair@eisenwurzen.com -
Martin Gebeshuber, MA KLAR! MODELLREGIONSMANAGER
“Climate change affects all sections of the population, but the good thing is that in Austria we have the means to adapt to the negative effects, reduce risks and seize opportunities.”
m.gebeshuber@eisenwurzen.com
