Orchards for Little Owls

The nature conservation organization Aufwind has launched a multi-year project to save old fruit trees. Around 120 trees in a meadow in Wülfrath, some of which are over 100 years old, are to be saved through professional care. The orchards provide habitat for the highly endangered little owl.

According to the farmer, the trees were planted by his grandfather. Without professional pruning, however, they soon threaten to collapse under their weight. Together with a landscape gardener and the nature photographer Klaus Tamm, founder of Aufwind, the rejuvenation of the gnarled witnesses of time has now begun.

Aufwind is funding the project with a total of 10,000 euros over three years. By removing dead branches, new branches will be created, and the trees will remain vital. In this way, this valuable habitat for little owls and old fruit varieties can be preserved. Aufwind shows how important saving old cultural landscapes is for nature conservation.

Newspaper article by Westdeutsche Zeitung from February 22, 2016