Space for Nature
Habitat Obstmuckelei
I take as much pleasure in the fruit on the trees as I do in barn owls in the sky, stonechats on fences, hedgehogs in the hedge, bush-crickets on the grass, or lizards on rock piles.
The icterine warbler feels right at home among the berries.
My goal is to develop the Obstmuckelei as a living ecosystem that goes far beyond being a mere production area for human food. When new plantings take root and later bear fruit, while also serving as a food source or refuge for numerous animal species, I feel affirmed in my vision of an agriculture that brings food production and species conservation together.
Mario Sitte took these pictures above in June 2024 – from stonechats to red kites. Furthermore, numerous insect species occur here, including praying mantises, hoverflies, and weevils. But also reptiles such as lizards and grass snakes, as well as mammals like brown hares and foxes. And so much more.
High habitat quality is made possible by a mosaic of different structures. These include:
- Shade and Protection: Trees and hedges as sun and wind protection as well as shelter.
- Floral Diversity: An interplay of long old grass and herb-rich grassland.
- Retreats: Wood and stone piles as hiding places and winter quarters.
- Targeted Settlement: Nesting boxes for birds and bats, perches for birds of prey, and sandariums for ground-nesting wild bees.
- Grazing: Partial or extensive grazing with sheep and donkeys.
- Water Management: Water retention in the drainage ditch.
- Closeness to Nature: A certified organic and extensive management method.