There is no international UNESCO biosphere park law, but certain criteria and functions must be fulfilled in order to be recognised and to exist as a biosphere park. The term “biosphere reserve” is a UNESCO certification of quality and not a conservation area category such as for example “national park”. Just as for any other quality brand the criteria are checked by UNESCO at regular intervals.

Vorarlberg is one of the Austrian states, alongside Lower Austria and Vienna, to have a biosphere park law.

Since 2005 the Management Board of the Biosphere Park Grosses Walsertal has received 100,000 Euros annually as basic funding from the state of Vorarlberg (Department for the Environment and Office for Future Matters). In addition, the six communities concerned (approx. 3,500 inhabitants) pay 10 Euros per inhabitant per year.

As well as this, the Biosphere Park Grosses Walsertal has loyal sponsors:

• VKW (Vorarlberger Kraftwerke AG)
• Walser Versicherung
• Raiffeisenbank Walgau-Großwalsertal

Download: Establishment Ordinance for the Biosphere Park Grosses Walsertal and Nature Conservation and Landscape Development Act 1997 of the state of Vorarlberg (available in German language only)