At a ceremony in Röttenbach (town of Leutershausen), Bavarian Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber and Ministerial Director Dr. Jochen Gebauer from the Federal Ministry for the Environment handed over the funding notification for the large-scale nature conservation project "chance.natur - Lebensraum Mittelfränkisches Altmühltal" to District Administrator Dr. Jürgen Ludwig for a sum of around 6.57 million euros. The project in the district of Ansbach can now be implemented over the next ten years.
The aim is to protect a very special cultural landscape, to preserve one of the most important meadow breeding sites in southern Germany and to safeguard the factors that have always characterized the Altmühltal: a balanced water balance and nature-friendly grassland use. All speakers agreed that the project offers a unique opportunity for the region, not only for species, climate and water protection or regional value creation. There is a great opportunity to bring agriculture, nature conservation and people together. After all, one of the aims of the project is to work together with all stakeholders and develop sustainable solutions together.
In his opening speech, District Administrator Dr. Jürgen Ludwig reviewed the history of the project. He still remembers well how, ten years ago now, representatives of the Landesbund für Vogel- und Naturschutz and the Mittelfränkischer Landschaftspflegeverband approached him to draw attention to the dramatic decline in the numbers of black-tailed godwit, curlew, lapwing and other species. He is all the more pleased that the long and not always easy path of project identification, application and planning has now led to the goal: "Despite the financially and economically strained times, the federal and state governments are sending a clear signal for the development of rural areas with this funding. The district of Ansbach is also committed to preserving this unique habitat for animals and people." Last year, the district council voted with a clear majority in favor of releasing 10 percent of the total costs. Over the next ten years, this amounts to almost three quarters of a million euros for the large-scale nature conservation project, which is being launched under the sole sponsorship of the district of Ansbach in cooperation with the Bavarian Association for the Protection of Birds and Nature and the Middle Franconia Landscape Conservation Association.
For Bavaria's Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber, the cooperation that has been practised in the Altmühltal for many years is exemplary: "Protecting our natural resources and biodiversity is one of our most important tasks. We want to combine the interests of nature conservation, agriculture and water management in the Altmühltal project. We rely on voluntary participation and cooperation. In this way, the project will benefit the entire region: we are preserving the unique meadow landscapes as a home for rare bird species. We are preserving an unmistakable piece of Franconian homeland for locals and tourists. We create added value through new added value for agriculture. We can only do this together."
"The federal funding program "chance.natur" is a model for success," emphasized Ministerial Director Dr. Jochen Gebauer from the Federal Ministry for the Environment. Since 1979, more than 550 million euros in federal funding has been made available for 92 projects, enabling measures to preserve landscape and species diversity to be implemented over an area of more than 7,500 square kilometers - that is around one percent of the total area of the Federal Republic of Germany. The federal funding program supports projects of nationwide importance. The Altmühltal is one of the last large meadow breeding areas in southern Germany, where all nine meadow breeding species still occur.
The ceremony was rounded off with a tour of the site. The Leutershausen district of Röttenbach lies directly on the edge of the "Brunst-Schwaigau" meadow breeding area. From a hill, the guests were able to get a good impression of what characterizes a meadow breeding habitat: species- and structure-rich meadows with a sufficient water supply and a wide-open landscape.
Project manager Dietmar Herold states: "We have to consider and protect the floodplains in their entirety. It's not just about the birdlife, it's about preserving the unique cultural landscape in all its facets. Effective water management, which is becoming increasingly important in the face of climate change, and the promotion of rural grassland farming, which has produced and supports this diversity, are two of the key aspects."
The representatives of the Landscape Conservation Association and the State Association for Bird and Nature Conservation are also extremely pleased: "I am very happy about the start of the implementation phase of the "chance.natur" project "Habitat Middle Franconian Altmühl Valley", explains Gerhard Wägemann, Chairman of the Landscape Conservation Association of Middle Franconia. "This project offers the unique opportunity to transfer the experience gained over decades of protecting meadow breeders in the Wiesmet to large parts of the Altmühl Valley. The intensive and trusting cooperation with the farmers is certainly exemplary here," said the former district administrator of the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district. Dr. Norbert Schäffer, Chairman of the State Association for Bird and Nature Conservation, concluded: "Bavaria's currently largest meadow breeding bird conservation project offers us excellent opportunities to implement important and necessary measures to protect highly endangered species such as black-tailed godwit and curlew. It includes the most important wet meadow habitats in southern Germany, which we absolutely must preserve in order to offer our meadow breeders a permanent livelihood." On behalf of the Bavarian Farmers' Association, district chairman and district councillor Reinhold Meyer emphasized the good cooperation between all stakeholders.