New law planned

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Camping is only permitted in designated areas in the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park.(Bild: Naturpark Mürzer Oberland / Steininger)

The Mürzer Oberland Nature Park is complaining about the increase in visitors who do not adhere to its park rules. A new law against wild campers in Styria should soon help.

The Mürzer Oberland Nature Park is increasingly confronted with a problem: More and more guests want to enjoy nature up close and feel that the best way to do this is with a camper van. The fact that this is only permitted at official campsites is often ignored.

Only if a landowner gives their express permission is camping with a camper van permitted away from the designated sites.

Andreas Steininger, Geschäftsführer Naturpark Mürzer Oberland

Andreas Steininger, Managing Director of the Nature Park, is therefore taking the new draft law from the Styrian state parliament as an opportunity to launch an "information offensive" against wild campers. His appeal: "For nature conservation reasons in particular, but also for reasons of safety and environmental protection, it is strongly advised to only use designated and maintained pitches."

There are already three official pitches in the Mürzer Oberland Nature Park. These are signposted and must be paid for.(Bild: Naturpark Mürzer Oberland / Steininger)

Guests will find three such pitches in the Upper Styrian natural jewel. A fee is charged for all of them (12,-/per night). In return, guests are offered WiFi, waste water disposal, electricity and water connections. According to the planned law, penalties of up to 5000 euros or even eviction will be possible in future if the rules are not adhered to.

The Gesäuse National Park has been aware of the problem for some time: "We have very strict regulations. We have one or two people who check the parking spaces every day," explains spokesperson Christoph Unterberger. The area wardens can also expel unwanted guests.