Hedge care in the nature reserve 'Bir länge Stude'

Skylarks, whitethroats and corn buntings are now rare in Switzerland. Little owls and lapwings are particularly endangered. These bird species breed in the Grosses Moos area. In collaboration with the canton of Fribourg, BirdLife and the biotope network, the habitats of these species are to be improved through targeted interventions so that the populations can recover in the long term.

Just a few decades ago, the landscape of the Grosses Moos was shaped by intensive agricultural use. Around twenty years ago, hedges began to be planted in order to improve this cleared landscape. Maintaining such hedges is quite labor-intensive. If maintenance is neglected or carried out improperly, the ecologically valuable hedge plants are overgrown by blackberries, become too old, become bald or the hedges are dominated by a few, fast-growing species.

Together with biologists and a local forester, the hedges were cut back heavily in the winter of 2019/2020. The volunteers transported the material on piles of branches, which will be shredded at a later date for energy wood production. The thicker branches and the loose stones lying around were stacked into structures that serve as shelter for reptiles and amphibians. Blackberries were picked out with their roots as much as possible. Plastic and metal plant baskets, which had completely grown in over the past 20 years, had to be removed.