Habitat Enhancement in Leisach: Supporting Apollo Glocnericus with Sedum and Releases
In Leisach, the team planted 60 Sedum plants and recorded over 150 wild Sedum album individuals within a 100 × 100 m area. Additionally, one female and two male Apollo butterfly P. glocnericus were released to bolster the population. As part of the EU-LIFE Apollo2020 efforts to strengthen stepping-stone habitats for Parnassius apollo glocnericus, a dedicated field team visited Leisach (East Tyrol) in early July 2025 to assess habitat quality and carry out targeted restoration work.
The visit confirmed that the site holds excellent potential for supporting the species: in a single 100 × 100 m patch, more than 150 naturally occurring plants of Sedum album were documented—providing an abundant larval food base.
To reinforce the site’s ecological value, the team conducted the following measures:
- Planted 60 additional Sedum plants to supplement existing host plant populations
- Released one male and one female Parnassius apollo glocnericus to strengthen the local butterfly population and promote breeding in the area
The habitat in Leisach forms part of a growing network of Apollo stepping-stone sites in East Tyrol, linking higher alpine zones with valley-edge slopes. These measures are designed not only to improve current conditions but to sustain habitat suitability over the next five years—supporting future generations of P. apollo glocnericus.
“Leisach shows how small-scale interventions—grounded in field data—can make a real difference for a vulnerable mountain species.”
