As part of a handful of selected pilot regions in Austria, measures for the creation and preservation of insect habitats are being implemented in the Mühlviertel Nature Park. For example on the grounds of the Bad Zell middle school. Here, with the support of nature experts, schoolchildren have tackled the project “On the field, get set, go!”. A natural habitat for insects and small creatures is created on 350 m².
Beetle castle and insect meadow
An initial workshop with the biologist and insect expert Georg Derbuch familiarized the second graders with the most important facts about the survival of insects. Equipped with this background knowledge, the girls and boys then got down to work: hand in hand with employees from the Bad Zell building yard and the Mühlviertel nature park, they built a beetle castle and worked the meadow area behind the school so that valuable flowering areas for insects are created here.
As a certified nature park school, this area will also be maintained and looked after in Bad Zell in a sustainable manner. In addition, the insect area that has now been created will be available for teaching, biological research and observations. The focus is on raising awareness for the protection of small habitats in which insect diversity, which is so important for the ecological balance, can be preserved.
The project launched this year “On the field, get set, go!” will be extended to all 48 nature parks in Austria in the coming years. Flower strips, deadwood castles and nesting aids are created on small public and private areas. The insect area at the Bad Zell Nature Park Middle School will also be open to the public as part of this project for long-term use to observe insect habitats
Source: Nachrichten
