Thriving Spaces by the Alz Canal

The thriving spaces denote the grassy areas along the Alz canal embankment that are particularly suited as a biotope network for biodiversity. A few years ago, WACKER provided an area of 30,000 square meters for the biodiversity project. The southerly orientation of many of the slopes offers perfect climatic conditions to develop so-called calcareous grassland, as well as oatgrass and sage grassland.

Through the right care and mowing, more biodiversity will once again be created on the grasslands, as was clearly visible from our visit to the site. A seed-planting campaign last year, at which the WACKER and Landscape Conversation Association representatives applied the native, hand-collected seeds from the Alz grasslands, has also made an impact. Carthusian pinks, wild sage, oxeye daisies and various types of clover are right at home on the embankments of the Alz canal between Burgkirchen and Hirten.

A description of the project can be found on both of the new information boards which have recently been placed for the public along the cycle and footpath.

“In order to achieve the actual goal – to once again offer a home to many butterflies and other insects – we will also monitor insects, with a focus on butterflies,” announced Patrizia Weindl from the Landscape Conservation Association.

The cooperation partners used the opportunity to discuss suitable care of the roughly three additional hectares that WACKER will provide near to the Alz canal. This area includes valuable biotope-mapped grassland, explained Patrizia Weindl.

Site manager, Dr. Peter von Zumbusch, is convinced of the effectiveness of the biodiversity project and reiterated WACKER’s commitment to the issue of sustainability going forward: “Industry, climate change mitigation and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive, there is no ‘either, or’. We have to find possibilities and solutions for preserving a world worth living in at all levels. Therefore, we have also set ourselves very comprehensive and ambitious sustainability goals across the Group.”