Fireworks threatened Heidenheim's stork growth: This is how help!

Fireworks threatened Heidenheim's stork growth: This is how help!

In the Heidenheimer Brenzpark, there is reason to be happy and worried at the same time: for the first time after six years of waiting, white storks have settled in this idyllic park. With dedication, those responsible have created a platform on a tree stump, which enables the storks to nest there. Visitors currently saw two young animals in the nest, a sign that the brood is successful. But as so often, the joy also brings a challenge with it.

A fireworks that will take place on Friday evening as part of a neighboring folk festival triggers concerns. The district's nature conservation authority has informed the city of Heidenheim about the proper registration of the event. The Stuttgart regional council has also taken measures to protect the storks during the fireworks. The operator of the folk festival, the Karl Kritz KG, approved the fireworks, but under strict requirements. For example, an alternative shooting ground is chosen, which is at a sufficient distance from the storks. In addition, an expert person is parked in order to monitor the animals and, if necessary, to recover young animals falling from the nest.

protective measures and dangers

The discussion about fireworks illustrates the efforts that have been made in recent years to offer the white storks (Ciconia Ciconia) a safe habitat. The observation and documentation of your breeding habits has been an integral part of the Dresden area since the 1960s, where about 580 km² is examined. It is paid to breeding sites, which are often near human settlements on increased nesting aids. Open land and pond landscapes offer ideal conditions for these fascinating birds. Nabu Sachsen regularly carries out a data collection that is supported by volunteer nest supervisors.

The habitat of the white storks is not without dangers. Lack of food due to intensive management, land disagreements and collisions with power lines represent serious risks. According to LBV, around 10% of the young storks do not survive. An example from Bavaria shows that over 50% of the storks are killed there by electric shocks or collisions with lines. Preventive measures include eliminating lack of food and the care of the nests, which have been funded by the Bavarian White Stork protection program since 1984.

sustainable future for the white stork

The current efforts to offer the white storks in the Heidenheimer Brenzpark a protected breeding facilities are a step in the right direction. The city and the nature conservation authorities work hand in hand to ensure that the fireworks are carried out responsibly. The day after the spectacle, a view of the inspection is whether the storks continue to supply their boys.

The defined precautions underline awareness of nature conservation in the region; After all, it is important to protect these majestic birds not only from dangerous situations, but also from the decline in their population. It is to be hoped that the combination of protective measures and a common commitment will help to ensure that the white storks will continue to be comfortable in our realms in the future and continue to raise young storks.