Upgrading the Chörblihaalde protected area
Realized:
2021
performed by:
Naturnetz Nordostschweiz
On behalf of Pro Natura Schaffhausen, we upgraded bushy light forest areas in the Chörblihaalde nature reserve near Merishausen. The Chörblihaalde is a steep, wooded south-facing slope with a quarry. The area is home to extremely valuable forest and meadow communities.
The Chörblihaalde was once grazed, which encouraged the development of diverse structures on this exposed steep slope and prevented the meadows from becoming overgrown. However, agricultural use of the land continued to decline until the end of the last century. This ultimately led to the dry meadows becoming overgrown and the loss of the open forest edges and their characteristic tree species.
In addition to the proud, fully grown oaks and the large populations of serviceberry trees and other wild fruit species, species-rich meadows were slowly overgrown. Sensitive species such as mountain vetch and branched grass lilies, as well as various orchids, decreased significantly over the years. Privet, blackberries and clematis took over. Our strenuous intervention with chainsaws and mowers in snow and rain paid off! We cleared an enormous amount of material from the heap, so that light can finally reach the richly structured forest floor, which faces south-west. Stone piles, quarries and piles of branches are exposed again and offer various animals hiding places. In the future, the areas should be able to maintain their valuable light forest character.
Typical species of the meadow flora and the open forest, as well as Sorbus and wild fruit species, benefit. The newly emerging herb layer will soon attract various species of butterflies, grasshoppers and dry meadow snails. The meadows will now be mown regularly again to prevent the loss of open areas and to preserve their biodiversity. In addition, the open forest areas will be regularly thinned again so that their typical and ecologically very valuable structures are preserved. We are confident that the first orchid populations will soon spread again at the Chörblihaalde.