Kiebitzland: Locked new project for the endangered lapwing in BW!

Kiebitzland: Locked new project for the endangered lapwing in BW!

In Baden-Württemberg, a new nature conservation project called "Kiebitzland" has been launched in order to offer the highly threatened Kiebitz a new home. The symbolic bird with its unmistakable black and white plumage and the feathers, which protrudes upwards, has dramatically lost number in recent decades. In fact, the Kiebitz's occurrence has decreased by about 92 percent since 1992. The official starting signal for the project recently was found in Sauldorf in the Sigmaringen district, given by Environment Minister Thekla Walker from the Greens. The Kiebitz is one of the endangered species that suffer from the influence of intensive agriculture, pesticide use and extreme weather conditions.

The “Kiebitzland” project is carried out by the Nature Conservation Association of Germany (NABU) and aims to advance the reduction of the lapwing in Baden-Württemberg. For this purpose, twelve so -called core areas are to be set up nationwide. Here, lapwings can breed undisturbed and put on their chicks. The various measures include the creation of flat pools for the search for food and the protection of the nests from predators.

protective measures and cooperation

A key element of the project is partnership -based cooperation with farmers. These are encouraged to provide areas, whereby they also receive financial support. Farmers can expect compensation for loss of earnings in the event of nature -friendly management. In addition, the grazing of cattle is promoted in the project areas to create open floor points that are optimal for lapwings.

The first four of the intended core areas, which are created in Ammerbuch, Dunningen, Sauldorf and Bad Dürrheim, are ready by spring 2025 and are protected by protective fences and nest baskets. These "Kiebitz Islands" offer safe habitats where the birds are protected from predators such as foxes. Comprehensive monitoring is guaranteed by area supervisors who monitor the fences, check the nest protection baskets and count the lapwing stocks.

Financial support

The state of Baden-Württemberg supports the project, which is to be implemented over a period of five years, with around four million euros. This commitment to nature conservation is a step in the right direction to strengthen biodiversity in the region. Due to the drastic decline in the lapwing population, which fell to only 300 to 400 breeding pairs in 2016, the establishment of protection projects is more urgent than ever.

The loss of the habitat is one of the main causes for these existence. Intensive agriculture, pesticides, extreme weather conditions and human disorders contribute significantly to this. The “Kiebitzland” project is to create optimal living conditions that enable the lapwing to become at home in Baden-Württemberg.

In order to secure the successful implementation of the project in the long term, the integration of the measures into the country's existing agricultural support system is also sought. Together with the farmers, such a sustainable path should be found to keep the lapwing in its traditional homeland and enable him to have a future.

"Kiebitzland" thus represents significant progress in the struggle for the survival of this unique bird species and shows how important the cooperation between nature conservation organizations, farmers and politics is. Further information about the project can be found at swr.de and Baden-wuerttemberg.nabu.de .