28 nature lovers took part in the traditional winter hike at the invitation of the volkach nature conservation association. Chairman willi freibott led the group from the volkach train station along the altmain river to the nordheimer meadow. There the chairman of the burgerinitiative nordheimer au, bjorn schotta, welcomed the guests.
Many visitors, according to the press, were surprised by the fact that the floodplain is a hotspot of biodiversity and home to sand lizards, wrynecks, hoopoes, numerous butterfly and wild bee species. The site is designated as a bird sanctuary, a landscape conservation area and a geotope. In the orchards and meadows as well as in the shore area of the mains, there were many species that are under special or strict protection and are listed in the "red list" of endangered species, explained schotta. He emphasized that the nature of this location has adapted strongly to the sandy soil and the dryness.
The nordheimer au with its fruit meadows and sandy fallows represents one of the last refuges of a unique population of insects, birds, reptiles, fungi and plant species. These were to disappear when the flat had to make way for the dredgers. This valuable natural area has also developed into a cultural and recreational area for tourists and locals in recent years and must be preserved, says schotta.
He also described the current situation in the resistance against sand and gravel mining on this site. The approval procedure is pending at the district office of kitzingen, department of water law. A third application from the gravel company is expected to be submitted in the fall of 2020. However, a so-called environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required to make the effects of sand and gravel mining on humans and nature transparent. At the same time, the decision on the petition in the environmental committee of the bavarian state parliament is pending.