Reintroduction of the German Tamarisk 2018

Published, on 25 September 2022
Project status: completed
Nature conservation project
© Isabella Hilti

Reintroduction of the German Tamarisk 2018

Reintroduction of the German Tamarisk 2018

Employees of the Danube Floodplain National Park and the Gesäuse National Park visited Mid-July 2018 the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park. On the one hand, the Occurrence of the Dwarf bulrush (Typha minima), on the other hand the last natural stocks the German tamarisk (Myricaria germanica) can be visited. The aim was to exchange and expand existing knowledge about these two pioneer species. In addition, the opportunity was taken to collect the seeds of some individuals of the German tamarisk at three locations near Elmen, Forchach and Weißenbach under the supervision of the Tiroler Lech Nature Park and with the help of a nature conservation licence from the state of Tyrol. The seeds are used as part of species conservation programmes to build up stocks for the propagation and reintroduction of this species.

During their visit to the Tiroler Lech Nature Park, the employees of the national parks were accompanied by Anette Kestler, Managing Director of the Tiroler Lech Nature Park. At the beginning, three Locations in which the Dwarf bulrush, which occurs naturally, has been successfully reintroduced and that from which material is used for conservation breeding. In the Donau-Auen National Park, the dwarf bulrush has been successfully propagated again since 2011 using source material from the Tyrolean Lech and has been planted out in potentially suitable locations on a trial basis since 2015. In the near future, it is planned to refresh the planting material with seeds from other locations in order to counteract the genetic depletion of the breeding stock.

After visiting the dwarf bulrush deposits, we went to the stands of the German Tamariske. There Seeds of the already fruiting individuals collected. Populations in Elmen, Forchach and Weißenbach am Lech were surveyed. The Gesäuse National Park has maintained a conservation and propagation centre for the German tamarisk since 2005. The HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein also raised a large number of individuals and successfully planted them out in 2017. The aim of this measure is to achieve permanent establishment and the seeds collected this year have already been returned for cultivation.

The two types Dwarf bulrush and German tamarisk occur naturally on open banks and are adapted to dynamic riverine landscapes. These habitats have become rare due to river regulation and the species have been pushed back to a few locations as a result. In the protected areas, attempts are being made to restore habitats for these two pioneer species as part of renaturalisation projects. The long-term goal is to re-establish stable, self-sustaining populations of the two currently highly endangered species dwarf bulrush and German tamarisk.

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