Sandeck

Summary The Sandeck is built-up on sand deposited by Lake Neusiedl in former times. The area borders landward on the National Park Nature Reserve Zone and serves as an effective buffer zone for it. As a part of the Sandeck-Neudegg Conservation Zone the Sandeck serves as a kind of window to the inaccessible Nature Reserve Zone of the National Park Neusiedler See Seewinkel. Situated south of Illmitz, the Sandeck consists of various structured reed beds, small stands of trees, grassland and grazing land. Annual moving preserves the meadows, small-scale grazing of white donkeys helps to maintain the biotope along the sandy lake causeway. Many habitats near Lake Neusiedl were lost to encroaching reeds or overgrown by high grasses, bushes and shrubs when farmers discontinued use of the land for grazing their herds. Only with the beginning of land management in the National Park could valuable habitats for flora and fauna be reclaimed.