Green departure: Cologne improves the inner green belt for biodiversity!

Green departure: Cologne improves the inner green belt for biodiversity!

The district council has taken a unanimous decision to significantly increase the attractiveness of the inner green belt in Cologne for humans and animals. According to KStA.de The decision is based on an application from the Greens, the left and the climate friends. The measure includes the additional planting of the park as well as a redesign of the edge of the Aachen pond.

A central element of the plan are the "biodiversity hedges", which are to be planted with domestic species in order to offer insects and birds with useful habitats. In this context, a list of domestic species is developed, which is finalized in coordination with the district council and the environmental committee of the city council. The aim is to offer privacy screen before car traffic without affecting important visual axes on intersections.

planned measures in detail

The plan sketches provide for suitable locations for the hedges north and south of Vogelsanger Straße and on Bachemer Straße. There is the possibility that further locations must be selected in coordination with the Lindenthal district council. Furthermore, the application "landing zones" on the banks of the Aachen pond, which should offer insects and water birds a better environment.

A third of the accessible areas on the east and west side of the water is blocked for pedestrians and planted close to nature. The rest of the bank parts remain accessible and should be upgraded with seating levels, while a continuous free staircase is not desired. The hedges and landing zones will accompany information boards to provide information about the species used. These measures are designed to maintain the green belt as a recreation room and to promote the animal world.

meaning of hedges for biodiversity

In a report by the Institute for Political Science of RWTH Aachen, the relevance of hedges is underlined in terms of biodiversity. According to Resilienz-aachen.de meet both ecological and economic functions and are essential for over 1,500 species. The work emphasizes that domestic wood types have a positive effect on biodiversity, while strange species can have negative consequences.

The care and structure of hedges are crucial for their ecological function. Municipalities can actively contribute to the preservation of biodiversity through sensitization, financial support and regulations for planting domestic species. The planned conversion of the inner green belt in Cologne could therefore act as a positive example of other cities that face similar challenges.