Nature conservation and sustainability have been at the heart of everything we do for over two decades. Josef's interest in these topics goes back to his university days, when he immersed himself deeply in the natural world and its protection. As a long-standing member of the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and the Austrian Nature Conservation Association, he also chose sustainability as the focus of his thesis. In 1997, he managed to bring a cherished personal project to life: in collaboration with the WWF and the State of Upper Austria, he initiated the designation of a nature conservation area on his property in the lower Mühlviertel.
As you can see today, both flora and fauna thrive on this twelve-hectare site. Independent ornithologists from Upper Austria and Styria discovered a variety of rare animal and plant species during their most recent survey last September. Some of these are even listed on the EU Red List, which catalogues particularly endangered species. Among them were animals such as the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and the wart-biter cricket (Decticus verrucivorus), as well as plant species including St. John's Wort (Hypericum sp.), wild thyme (Thymus sp.) and tormentil (Potentilla erecta).
"This is what active nature conservation looks like to us: protecting habitats for flora and fauna, and crystal-clear, natural spring water for our fruit brandies and spirits."
Josef's father, a native of the Mühlviertel, discovered a spring on the property — now classified as a nature conservation area — many years ago and had it developed. The water is filtered through granite, the bedrock of the region, and enriched with minerals along the way. Since intensive farming is not permitted within a nature conservation area, the meadows and soils remain free from nitrate pollution. Nitrate, commonly used as a fertiliser in intensive agriculture, simply cannot find its way into our water. In a sense, our nature conservation area also serves as its own small water protection zone. This crystal-clear, very low-limestone water is what we use today in all our fruit brandies and spirits — and it makes for a truly special drinking experience.
Our products simply would not have the same quality without the fresh, soft water from our nature conservation area. That is why we take great care of our precious water and the conservation land in the lower Mühlviertel. It is something we are genuinely proud of, because to us this is active nature conservation: protected habitats for flora and fauna, and crystal-clear, natural spring water for our fruit brandies and spirits.
