Insects play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the natural world. So it is alarming to think that the number of insects has decreased by up to 80 percent over the past 30 years. We want to do something about this. We are converting as much of our land as possible into rich biotopes across Germany. Bees, bumble bees and butterflies need to be able to find food and shelter all year round. That is why we are sowing meadows, planting native trees and shrubs, and providing uncultivated spaces where wild bees can nest.
We aim to have set up solutions for sustainable land management. Supporting us in our efforts are our partners the Bodensee-Stiftung, the Global Nature Fund and ILbA, an institute for life-enforcing architecture. Our joint project is part of the EU-wide LIFE BoogiBOP project. We are currently gaining initial experience from pilot studies.
For example, we have sown a meadow of wildflowers on an area of land at our vehicle maintenance depot in Nuremberg, and we are in the process of laying a gravel lawn of around 1,000 square meters at our Kaiserbahnhof station in Potsdam. Projects at further sites are being planned. This just shows how we can join forces to protect the environment.