After species-rich wildflower meadows were created in Salzgitter in April, it was now a matter of maintaining these areas professionally.

The focus was on ecological mowing - insect-friendly mowing. Employees of the Salzgitter municipal maintenance company learn in theory and practice how to maintain biodiversity on urban green spaces in the long term.

"At the Lebenstedt cemetery, we have created 2,500 square meters of valuable, species-rich wildflower meadows for biodiversity. We want to try out the idea that the maintenance of such valuable urban nature areas should be geared towards the needs of insects and the like," explains Dietrich Leptien, operations manager of the Salzgitter municipal management company.

Mowing is an important part of the building yard training, in which the participants have already dealt with the creation of new flowering areas, the selection of suitable seeds and the planting of wild perennials. Mowing is also an important work step in urban green spaces. Green spaces are often mowed briefly to ensure a tidy appearance and usability, for example as a sunbathing area or play area.

Jakob Grabow-Klucken, the BUND project manager, adds: "When green spaces are laid out as wildflower meadows to promote biodiversity, this poses a particular challenge in terms of maintenance management. Ecological mowing requires knowledge about the development of sown areas, species knowledge and suitable mowing equipment. Only in this way can meadows develop rich in flowers and species over the years. Wildflower meadows create retreats for nature and rare and endangered species find a home in the city."

With the "More Species in the Garden" project and the DIY training courses, BUND Niedersachsen aims to highlight the importance of wild plants and insects. The focus is on planting wildflower meadows and wild shrub beds. Unlike conventional flowering areas, which often consist of annual, non-native species, BUND and the city of Salzgitter are focusing on native, perennial plants. Wildflower meadows and herbaceous beds are of crucial importance for native wildlife and our biodiversity.

In addition to the training in the construction yard, BUND Niederachsen has founded eight regional wild perennial networks. In the networks, volunteers were provided with free kits and seeds of native wild perennials. The plant cultivation is intended to increase the number of plants suitable for wild bees in gardens.
The project is funded by the Lower Saxony Bingo Environmental Foundation.