First and foremost, they are green. For the expert, they are also scenically attractive and high-quality habitats for animals and plants: the meadow valleys in the bundorfer forest and bramberger forest in the counties of habberge and rhon-grabfeld. In order to preserve them and improve their structure, the bad konigshofen forestry operation has launched the "wiesentaler im bundorfer forst und bramberger wald" project in the "bayern-net nature project" initiates.
Crisscrossed by brooks
The project area covers about 860 hectares of valley bottom, of which 30 hectares are so-called open land areas of the state forest. "It is a matter of beautiful, often very narrow meadow valleys crisscrossed by brooks or damp", explained christoph fellermeyer from the bad konigshofen forestry operation at the presentation of the project at the "durrwiese" in the state forest district bramberg. "If they are not preserved and maintained, they become overgrown and the interesting habitats disappear."
The initial situation was: quite a few meadows are leased or privately owned; they are mown or used intensively for agriculture. Some, however, were not maintained at all, said fellermeyer. He has considered how these flat areas can be preserved and developed while at the same time protecting the interests of the landowners, the general public, agriculture and nature conservation. Finally, nature conservation must be financed. "I have discussed the problem with the nature conservation officer of the bavarian state forestry commission, axel reichert, and the lower nature conservation authorities.", according to fellermeyer. "He then developed the project."
The goal is: the wiesentaler must not be overgrown. That's why they need care, which takes place at intervals, as axel reichert described it. Whoever cultivates the meadows – for him the renunciation of manure and pesticides should be worthwhile at least a little by the demand. The experts want to achieve species-rich forests; in addition, coniferous wood that is not in the right place in valley bottoms should disappear. "We want to protect and promote rare animal and plant species and also protect and renaturalize spring areas."
State, municipal and private property
Around 200 hectares belong to the bavarian state forestry, the rest is private or communal property. "We formed a round table with all the parties involved, examined the flat and created a demand backdrop with the project", shared reichert. In the future, there will not only be money for forestry work in the state forest. Private property owners also receive financial grants from the contractual nature conservation and the cultural landscape program.
"There are currently 374 bayern-net-nature projects in bavaria, including seven in the habberge district and six in the rhon-grabfeld district", reported christine simlacher from the planning office in munich. According to her, the projects are characterized by close cooperation between the parties involved (farmers, authorities, associations, municipalities). "The overriding principle at bayern-netz natur is the voluntary nature of all mabnahmen and the cooperative approach", according to simlacher. The project is financed by state, federal and EU funds. Additional funding possibilities are available through foundations and sponsoring contracts.
Black stork and marsh grasshopper
For the project area bundorfer forst and bramberger wald, robert lauer from the lower nature conservation authority at the district office habberge listed the special species worthy of protection. Among them are the black stork, the marsh grasshopper, the dark knapweed, the troll flower, the siberian iris, the cotton grass and the two-leaved orchid. They rely on the open, wet meadow bottoms. The biotope network improves their habitats. "This can only succeed if everyone pulls together", fellermeyer emphasized at the end of the excursion. "Interested parties can contact the relevant district offices to find out more about the project and the possibilities for making claims."
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