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The Sengsengebirge is a northern outpost of the Limestone Alps. The ca. 20 km long main ridge reaches its highest point at the Hoher Nock (1,963 m). The name Sengsengebirge can be traced back to the use of the forests as a source of energy for the numerous scythe smithies once located here.
Established: July 25, 1997 Area: 20,850 ha Zoning: 89% nature zone, 11% conservation area Property: 88% federally owned (Austrian Forestry Service), 11% privately owned, and 1% municipal property Internationally recognized: as a national park (IUCN category II) since 1998, Ramsar protected area (wetland of global importance), and Natura 2000 area (European nature reserve) since 2004 Elevation: 385 to 1,963 m (Hohe Nock) Main types of rock: Wetterstein limestone, primary Dolomite
Austria´s first World Natural Heritag beech forests
The beech forests of the Kalkalpen National Park and the primeval beech forest of the Dürrenstein Wilderness Area represent the beech distribution area of the Alps. Together, the two protected areas bring about 7,120 hectares of beech forests into the World Heritage Site.