Care of Nature Reserves Canton Zug 2020

Since 2011, the nature network has been working on behalf of the Office for Space and Transport of the Canton of Zug (Nature and Landscape Department) with community service workers in various areas. As every year, neophytes were combated in the protected areas, with the main work focusing on goldenrod and annual fleabane. Some goldenrod stands had to be mown due to their high density. After a few years of regular mowing, they should be so thinned out that manual control is possible again. Armenian blackberries were also combated at the Niederwil shooting range in Cham and at the Dürrbachweiher in Menzingen. The tried and tested toad tubs in the areas were emptied using the drainage device or removed, cleaned and reinserted in the spring. This allowed the yellow-bellied toads to frolic in them as far as possible without the danger of voracious aquatic insects. To further promote the yellow-bellied toads in the canton of Zug, new small bodies of water were created in the Sebeliboden area in Steinhausen and in the Niederwil shooting range in Cham. In the Oberwilerwald area in Cham, several adult yellow-bellied toads were also observed in a basin. Ponds and small bodies of water were maintained in the Rainmatt (Hünenberg), Hatwil (Cham) and Waldried Frauenthal (Cham) areas. The operations in the individual work areas are described in more detail below. The many small nature reserves make for extremely varied civilian operations.

Raised bog regeneration Eigenried, Zugerberg

One of the most beautiful raised bogs in Switzerland is located on the Zugerberg: The Eigenried not only impresses with its biodiversity and beauty, it also offers an optimal view of the Alpine landscape with a direct view of the Rigi. However, just a few decades ago the bogs were drained for the purpose of peat extraction. The old drainage ditches from earlier times are still there and pose a risk that the bogs will dry out in the long term. The habitat of a unique flora and fauna could thus be irretrievably lost.

In cooperation with the Zug Corporation (Berg district), part of the Eigenried was regenerated this year using the tried and tested method to prevent rainwater from running off. In a first step, the Zug Corporation removed the vegetation cover in the trench using a small excavator and deposited it next to the trench for later reuse. A path made of wooden boards was prepared from the sawdust depot to the corresponding trench so that the moorland soil was protected as best as possible. In the next step, the civil servants were particularly in demand: the exposed trenches had to be filled with sawdust so that the water is held back by the suction effect of the sawdust and can flow back into the moor via the sides of the trench. What used to be done laboriously by hand with carts can now be done a little more conveniently with tracked dumpers: we poured sawdust into the trenches and compacted it. An employee of the Zug Corporation then used the excavator to replace the vegetation cover that had been removed in the first step.

The now constantly high water level means that the moor plants grow again and the moor can regenerate. We were able to observe the effects of our work on the moor every day. After just a few days, standing water formed in various places around the ditches, and the precipitation and even the snow remained for much longer than before the operation. A clear sign of the success of our operation and at the same time a reward for our efforts.

Lorzengabel, Baar

Our work here mainly involved combating neophytes and mowing. We deliberately left some ecologically interesting meadow areas standing to provide a place for the insects present in the area to retreat to. The clippings from the mowing were removed. In addition, the pollarded willows in the area were checked and some were professionally cut back.

Oberwilerwald (Fahrendenplatz), Cham

This protected area is located on a former asphalt dump next to an existing landfill and a mobile home site. The nature reserve offers an exciting variety of landscapes with various small bodies of water, meadows, hedges and woodland. However, the large goldenrod populations threaten to displace the flora of the extensive meadows, which is why the community service workers have been working intensively to combat goldenrod. Goldenrod was combated both manually and mechanically, thus preventing it from spreading further. In addition, the existing reed and cattail populations were reduced and the entire area was mowed after the neophyte control and the cuttings were removed. Some of the biomass, particularly the cuttings, which included a lot of reed, were piled up by the community service workers. These serve as shelter and egg-laying sites for reptiles and other small animals.

Ziegelhütte Meienberg, Cham

Here, the aim was to clean a pond on the site of an old brickworks so that it would not become silted up. In this way, in addition to the old tradition of brick-making, which is demonstrated on site, the surrounding landscape can also be preserved as originally as possible.

Mühlauerbrücke, Hünenberg

This nature reserve is located on the banks of the Reuss and includes a lean meadow area with small bodies of water of various sizes, as well as hedgerows and piles of stone blocks. The main task of the civil servants here, in addition to combating the annual fleabane, which is very common in this area, was mainly mowing and removing biomass, as well as cleaning the ponds in the area, with one of the ponds also being deepened.

Tänndlimoosweid, Sihlbrugg, Baar

The two Tänndlimoosweid ponds are located directly on a busy highway and in the middle of an agricultural area next to a landfill site. They are only separated from each other by a small dam. The ponds are surrounded by a dense belt of trees. The underwater mowing of the reeds and the maintenance of the hedge and the edge area (pushing back blackberries, thinning) were among the tasks carried out by the civil servants this year.

Zollweid, Hünenberg

Thanks to the felling of trees a few years ago, the now sparse and herbaceous ground can now be mown, as obstacles such as tree stumps were removed and blackberries were picked out. This year, the area could therefore be mown with scythe mowers and brush cutters, thus pushing back the blackberries.

Unterutenberg, Walchwil

The expansion of the grass snake site as a replacement habitat created by the extension of the SBB line meant that the stone structures and dry stone walls built in previous years were maintained to prevent them from becoming overgrown. To do this, the civil servants used a brush cutter to clear the ecologically interesting elements.

Dürrbachweiher, Menzingen

The Dürrbachweiher, a cantonal nature reserve, is a former mud pond of a nearby gravel works. The area consists of various ponds and small bodies of water, which are located within a dense reed vegetation. Since the ground here is not strong enough for heavy machinery, we mown parts of the reeds, especially the overflow of the pond, with a scythe mower and brush cutter. The collected cuttings were used to create piles for amphibians and reptiles. There is a small forest on the edge of the reed area. Here we removed newly emerging alders and ash trees and picked out Armenian blackberries.

Reussweiden, Hünenberg

The Reussweiden ponds are located in the middle of the Maschwander Allmend moorland. The small bodies of water are threatened by overgrowth due to the strong pressure of vegetation. The civil servants were able to cut down the trees and use stumps and pickaxes to pull out the stumps and pile them up into piles of dead wood. The dense reed vegetation in the ponds was also reduced.

Lorzenaufweitung Spinnerei, Baar

The Lorze near the former spinning mill in Baar was originally heavily built up. For this reason, the river was given more space on this section. Today, a meandering and dynamic river flows through a popular local recreation area. Various shrubs and rare willow species grow on the meadows and ruderal areas adjacent to the riverbed. But this area that had been improved was soon overrun by emerging bushes. The civil servants were therefore busy clearing the channels that were flooded during floods and promoting wild bees. Since there are also rare willows on site that should not be removed, they were marked with a ribbon. With Habegger and a lot of muscle power, all unwanted woody plants were removed.

Baarburg, Baar

In the Baarburg area in Baar, part of the rehabilitated landfill was left as an amphibian spawning area. This year, the civil servants were busy mowing the area, including underwater mowing of the reeds. The reeds were piled up in heaps together with the clippings from the green area, which serve as shelter and egg-laying sites for the existing grass snake population. In spring 2020, grass snakes were found laying eggs in one of the heaps.