Administration & Organisation

Nationalpark Thayatal GmbH

Thayatal National Park is run as a limited liability company (GmbH = Ltd). The owners of the GmbH are the Republic of Austria, represented by the Federal Minister for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMKUEMIT) and the Province of Lower Austria, represented by the Governor. Since January 2018, Christian Übl, BSc, has been the sole managing director of the National Park.


National Park House

The National Park House, situated between Merkersdorf and Hardegg, is the headquarters of the National Park administration and the first point of contact for visitors.


Tasks

The primary tasks of the national park administration relate to nature conservation and
management measures, the development of educational activities, and the implementation of research projects.


How it works

Statutory & legal basis

The work of the National Park administration is based on several laws and regulations. The most important legal basis is the Lower Austria National Park Act, which also ensures that the regional population has a say and can participate in the implementation of measures.

Management plan

The National Park administration carries out its tasks on the basis of a management plan which is to be drawn up by it and focus on a planning horizon of 10 years in each case. The current 2021 - 2030 management plan was created in consultation with the Province of Lower Austria, the federal government, the National Park Advisory Council and the National Park staff. It was adopted unanimously by the National Park Advisory Council and the technical committees in April 2021.
It describes the objectives as well as the measures that will be implemented by 2030.

General meeting

Twice a year, representatives of the federal and provincial governments meet with the management of the National Park to decide on the work programme and the financial plan of the National Park administration, to assign the ongoing activities, and to issue the necessary approvals.
  • Consideration of regional interests
    National Park Advisory Council and Committees

The National Park Advisory Council acts as an important link between the National Park administration and the population. Its aim is to safeguard regional interests, for example by making recommendations to the administration or by co-approving the annual plans.
The Advisory Council can also set up committees on various specialist topics, which can also consist of external experts. There are currently committees on hunting, fishing and infrastructure.
  • Bilateral Thayatal Commission

Cross-border cooperation is very important in the Thayatal. A commission was set up specifically for this purpose and deals with bilateral issues at least once a year. Its members include representatives of the responsible ministries in Austria and the Czech Republic, representatives of the Province of Lower Austria and the district branch of the Ministry of the Environment in Brno, as well as the two chairmen of the National Park advisory councils and the two National Park directors.
  • National Park Forum

At least one National Park Forum must be convened each year. It is freely accessible to all interested parties. It serves to inform the population of the National Park communities and to coordinate their interests with those of the National Park.
Managementplan 2021-2030[PDF, 194KB]

Further information

As a state-affiliated company, Nationalpark Thayatal GmbH is subject to the publication obligation of the Public Corporate Governance Code [Insert link for PDF download].

You can find out more about the legal basis of the National Park here:

  • agreement pursuant to Art. 15a B-VG between the Federal Government and the Province of Lower Austria on the Establishment and Maintenance of a Thayatal National Park
    https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrNO&Gesetzesnummer=20000653

  • Lower Austria National Parks Act
    https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrNO&Gesetzesnummer=20000675

  • Ordinance on the Thayatal National Park
    https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrNO&Gesetzesnummer=20000678


  • You can find out more about the common visions and the basis of management with the Czech Podyjí Národní Park here: Cross-border cooperation
    Public Corporate Governance-Bericht 2021[PDF, 4.5MB]