Gerlhamer Moor - nature reserve

Gerlhamer Moor - nature reserve since 1993
After many years of agricultural use of the area, there were considerations to build a moor bath on the area. With the support of the province of Upper Austria as well as donations, the ÖNJ (Austrian Nature Conservation Youth) purchased the area around the Gerlhammer Moor. In 1993, an area of 12 hectares was designated as a nature reserve by decree of the province, thus securing an important habitat and cultural area of plants and animals, for future generations.

Discover the nature reserve Gerlhamer Moor!
Guided tours, walks and what protected animals and plants is located in this area...

DISCOVER the protected natural jewel Gerlhammer Moor

Hiking trail through the Gerlhammer Moor in Seewalchen am Attersee:
The moor can be reached in a 20-minute walk directly from the Litzlberg bathing area. At the edge of the moor, visitors come across an information pavilion. Here you can learn interesting facts, for example that the Romans already grew rye at Lake Attersee and had to struggle with ribwort plantain, or that the pile dwellers left their traces in the Gerhammer Moor.

Adventure tours with Gerli, the witch of the Gerlham moor & holiday fun
Gerli, the moor witch, will guide you personally through the Gerlham moor. She has many stories and legends from long ago in her luggage. About the mysterious moor and the Attersee region. Together we will discover many secrets of the moor habitat with all our senses. Dates at www.naturschauspiel.at. Individual appointments for groups are possible by arrangement. Martina Humer is looking forward to your call 0650 6910 148.
Find out about the various guided tours during the summer holidays, such as the Moor Rally holiday fun!

Moorschmiede - Schmied z'Gerlham (blacksmith at Gerlham):
At the beginning of 1997 the "Schmied z'Gerlham" died. Pupils of the Vöcklabruck Federal Grammar School, together with the Nature Conservation Youth (ÖNJ), now campaigned for the preservation of the forge, anvil and tools. The ÖNJ Vöcklabruck also organises bog tours and "nails with heads" workshops in the bog forge. If you "feel like forging", just call 07672-23615 (BG Vöcklabruck). More information on Moorschmiede here:

PROTECTED PLANTS IN THE GERLHAMMER MOOR
Sundew, orchid, troll flower & more

The flora in the Gerlhammer Moor is diverse. Many unique plants worthy of protection, some of which are threatened with extinction, can be found in the typical sour meadows and ponds of the moor. Proven plants in the Gerlhammer Moor include the sundew, an insectivorous plant, and the orchid, which is considered highly endangered. But also the troll flower, a plant rarely found in marsh and fen meadows, which has declined sharply in recent decades.

PROTECTED ANIMALS ON THE GERLHAMMER MOOR
Moor frog, grass snake, yellow-bellied toad & more

The Gerlhammer Moor is home to the grass snake, among other species. The grass snake is widespread but not common. The ponds offer ideal living conditions for the yellow-bellied toad, among others, as well as the moor frog and the sweet-clawed toad. This frog grows to around 5 cm and is very water-bound. The gregarious yellow-bellied toad can also be found in small puddles, laying its spawn in small clumps on water plants.

Sources & further information:
Atterwiki Gerlhammer Moor:
https://www.atterwiki.at/index.php?title=Gerlhamer_Moor
Protected plants Land OÖ :
https://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/files/publikationen/n_pflanzen.pdf
Protected animals Upper Austria:
https://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/files/publikationen/n_tiere.pdf
State of Upper Austria Gerlhammer Moor: https://e-gov.ooe.gv.at/ndbinternet/NDBInternetGenisysDetail.jsp?mod=Gen&genisysInventarNr=n061