Leader promotes “new construction on greenfield sites” against soil sealing

The leader region of the Danube-Bohemian Forest wants to draw attention to the problem of increasing soil sealing with, of all things, a new building on a green field. This should be achieved with a project that will not take up any areas in the sense of sealing. At the most recent meeting of the Leader project selection committee, the members decided in favor of a “new building on a greenfield site”. The municipality of Hofkirchen has worked intensively with many partners on the use of a central meadow. Schools and families, but also local clubs, took part.

Theme park with motor skills area

The result is an eco and theme park with a motor skills area. The theme park aims to be an innovative and educational place that imparts knowledge about the importance of anti-soil sealing, recycling of materials and local flora. Of course, the “new building” will therefore not have to be sealed. Children and young people from the region are expected to be able to let off steam on their new green meadow from spring 2025. In addition to an outdoor classroom, there will also be a motor skills area with natural materials. A barefoot area is also planned with learning boards that shed light on the topic of water consumption. An interactive station on water infiltration is also planned and an area to raise awareness of local flora and soil as a resource. Seating and an environmentally friendly toilet complete the project. The meadow is currently a wasteland below the tennis facility. “We’ve been working on the project for two years now and ultimately didn’t want to build a ‘normal’ motor skills park,” says Martin Mairhofer, acting mayor of Hofkirchen. That’s why many natural and recycled materials are used.

Park is constantly changing

The park should and will change every year to keep it interesting. “We work very closely with the schools, but also with the fishermen, for example,” explains Mairhofer. The aim is to make visitors understand ecology and the connections in nature. This means that new ideas are constantly being added. “This is to ensure that the whole thing doesn’t become a stiff story.” If the park is successful, expansion is also conceivable.