In 1999, the state of Lower Austria launched the "Nature in the Garden" environmental movement. The experts support people and communities in designing and maintaining their gardens and green spaces in an environmentally-friendly way.
The idea of natural garden and green space management is based on three core criteria:
- no synthetic chemical-fertilizers,
- no synthetic chemical pesticides, and
- no peat
Different natural garden elements, as well as the natural management of the garden, make a garden diverse, create habitats for a colourful flora and fauna, and create space for a balanced natural cycle. Thanks to the "Nature in the Garden" environmental movement, Lower Austria has developed into an ecological model country in Europe.
Over 16,800 private gardens in Lower Austria have been awarded the "Nature in the Garden" badge for ecological garden maintenance: they thus set an example of ecological gardening and active environmental protection. Around 70 percent of the communities in Lower Austria use organic plant protection methods to maintain their green spaces.