Trees in our sights

Master Lamp nibbles wildly: Plague of hares in Lower Austria

Forest rodents: Hares are not only found in the fields.(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

The trees in the Waldviertel are currently suffering from a veritable plague of hares.

"Just leave the foxes alone", the forest wardens of the Federal Forestry Office warn the local hunters with a wink from the district management in Droß. But their appeal has a tangible ecological reason. Because in addition to the bark beetle, which is already causing hundreds of spruce trees and other trunks to shake, there are also countless hungry hares. Master Reineke, on the other hand, is hoped to naturally reduce the population of the voracious grub.

In addition, birds of prey, the natural antagonists of hares and the dramatically increasing mouse population, are to be directed more towards the young forest areas in their search for food. T-shaped landing poles are even being erected for this purpose, on which the birds of prey can easily find a foothold.

Mild winter, plenty of food
It is easy to explain why the bark nibblers feel so at home in fields and meadows this year - especially in Riegersburg near Horn! Due to the lack of harsh winters and sufficient food supply, the animals have been able to reproduce well.

The problem was already rampant in the fall: as soon as the fields were harvested, deer also pushed into the forest in search of food, exacerbating the problem until spring. This is because the young shoots and needle tips are now considered a tasty treat for hares and the like.