Die Stadtgemeinde Melk hat Anteil an den Europaschutzgebieten NÖ Alpenvorlandflüsse und Pielachtal und am Naturschutzgebiet Pielachmündung-Steinwand. Im Rahmen dieses Projekts soll das Bewusstsein der lokalen Bevölkerung für die Besonderheit dieser Gebiete deutlich gesteigert werden und damit ein achtsamer Umgang mit der Natur erwirkt werden.

Steile Terrassenlagen lassen meist keine mechanische Bearbeitung des Reb-Unterstockbereiches zu. Um dem Griff zu Herbiziden vorzubeugen, wird an einer ökologischen Lösung gearbeitet.

Die Wachau hat vieles zu bieten. Einen Einblick in die kulturelle Vergangenheit der Wachau und das Weltkulturerbe bekommt man im Rahmen einer Wanderung in Aggsbach Markt.

Als Anknüpfung zum Projekt „Pielach Mühlau – Naturschätze bewusst erleben“ in der Gemeinde Hafnerbach ist ein weiteres Projekt zur Stärkung der Umweltbildung geplant. Dabei soll die Natur vor der Haustüre bewusst erlebt und achtsames Verhalten in der Natur vermittelt werden.

Since 2004, an intensive exchange has been taking place between the two World Heritage cultural landscapes of the Wachau in Austria and the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in Germany. The cooperation should now be further intensified by a joint volunteer camp with a focus on caring for the cultural landscape.

The Wachau region was inscribed in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites as a continuing cultural landscape in 2000. Little is known about the value of World Heritage, in particular the “OUV - outstanding universal value”. A major awareness-raising campaign is intended to change this and specifically address the population. The knowledge and importance of the Wachau Cultural Landscape should be imbued in the population as a way of getting everyone to handle this World Heritage site with greater sensitivity.

The Nature Park owes its great diversity of plants and animals to its mosaic-like cultural landscape and the extensively used meadows. Global changes are forcing many agricultural businesses to specialise or shut up shop. A consequence of this are meadows that are no longer managed and increasingly turning into woodland. To counteract this trend and preserve diversity in the Jauerling-Wachau Nature Park, a nature park brand is under development. This label stands for management compatible with nature and gives the businesses’ products added ecological value.

The Pielach-Mühlau conservation area in the municipal district of Hafnerbach is one of nature’s true jewels. The wild river landscape is an area of retreat for many species of animal and vital to their survival. Excursions, campaigns involving schoolchildren and targeted public relations work are intended to create the necessary sensitisation and put the protection of these habitats on a secure and lasting footing.

With the support of its members, the Hafnerbach Energy Group defined green energy generation sites in the municipality, combined them into an energy hiking trail and also designed and implemented information portals. The trail was opened as part of a hiking day.

One topic that has preoccupied the region for many years is the lack of a crossing over the Danube between Melk and Spitz near the towns of Aggsbach-Markt and Aggsbach-Dorf. After several unsuccessful attempts to set up a conventional bicycle ferry between them, the two towns are now pursuing an unconventional approach: in the future, they could be connected by a cableway across the Danube.