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Lake Neusiedl is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Austria's Burgenland province. Covering 18,000 hectares and home to Europe's largest contiguous reed belt, the lake enjoys protected status as part of National Park Neusiedler See - Seewinkel.
Located in the core zone of the national park, Lake Neusiedl is home to a treasure trove of species that depend on wetlands, including a vast array of endangered bird species with nationally and internationally significant populations. It's also an essential stopover site for thousands of migratory birds, and provides habitats for a wide range of amphibian and mammal species, including foraging bats.
However, the delicate balance of this ecosystem is under threat.
The quality of the reed bed habitats is declining, with dieback the progressive death of twigs, branches, shoots, or roots having been observed in some areas. There are many reasons for this, but a major cause is the increasing disruption to the natural cycles of the area's water levels. Lake Neusiedl and its reed belt have historically thrived on significant water-level fluctuations, ranging from drying up completely to flooding an area double the lake's size. However, these natural fluctuations have been reduced by the construction of an artificial regulation channel, an outcome that has been exacerbated by the effects of climate change.
The damage to the reed belt and its fauna is huge. And if things continue as they are, the ecosystem will not survive.
