Kalksteinmauer Nature Reserve

The Laussa Kalksteinmauer extends roughly from the Jochberg (sea level 688) in the west of the municipal area of Laussa over the Hetzerhöhe to the east and from there continues along the right bank of the Laussabach stream to the centre of Laussa.

East of the village centre, the protected area extends along the limestone wall for another 1 km to the east and south of the Mitterberg. From a natural perspective, the limestone wall marks the transition from the "Northern Limestone Pre-Alps", and here in particular the small unit "Losensteiner Berge" to the Flyschbergland. In many parts of the immediate vicinity, there is an intermixture of Flysch sands and Rauhwacke, with the Rauhwacke rocks usually standing out from the surrounding, less heavily relieved terrain in the form of striking, steeply towering rock formations.

The protected area is essentially made up of the following biotope types

•     Roughwacke rock
  
•     Mesophilic to thermophilic beech and ravine forests
•     rough pastures

and represents a landscape with above-average features and a high degree of conservation value. For example, the frequent occurrence of the yew tree there is a distinct rarity in Upper Austria.

Likewise, the heat-loving ravine forests found in the Kalksteinmauer are among the rarest forest types in our province.


Public transport:
The Ennstalbahn runs between Linz and Weißenbach-St. Gallen. Details at www.ooevv.at
Stations are located in Ternberg, Trattenbach, Losenstein, Reichraming, Großraming, Küpfern, Kastenreith, Kleinreifling and Weißenbach-St. Gallen.

Arrival by car:
From Salzburg/Linz: A1 motorway exit Enns-Steyr > B115 into the Enns Valley.
From Vienna: A1 motorway exit Haag > B42 > B122 > B115 into the Enns Valley
From Passau: A8 Passau > Wels > A1 motorway exit Enns-Steyr > B115 into the Enns Valley
From Graz: A9 Pyhrnautobahn > motorway exit Klaus > Grünburg > into the Ennstal valley