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At Schotten, the focus was on the mountain hay meadow. District Administrator Jens Mischak called it a “living natural stage”. There's a lot of work behind it.
Schotten – The Vogelsberg district stands for many special features – one of them is this Mountain hay meadow, which once again represented a “lively natural stage” in Schotten-Michelbach on Sunday. District Administrator Dr. Jens Mischak (CDU) at the opening of the festival.
The Office for Economic Affairs and Rural Areas, in cooperation with the city of Schotten and the major nature conservation project Vogelsberg, invited visitors to experience the colorful, humming and fragrant mountain hay meadows with all their senses. The mountain hay meadows of the Vogelsberg are among the “most valuable natural areas in Central Europe,” said the district administrator.
Vogelsberg celebrates mountain hay meadows: protection for valuable natural areas
Its extraordinary variety of flowers, herbs and grasses provide a habitat for rare species of birds, butterflies, grasshoppers and numerous other insects. “Especially in times when the decline in biodiversity is becoming increasingly visible, it becomes clear how important these areas are for preserving our biological diversity.”
The fact that you can experience such blooming landscapes is not a given. “Mountain hay meadows can only be preserved through the committed, often labor-intensive management of our farmers,” said Mischak. On the one hand, the mountain hay meadow festival aims to increase awareness of the importance of species-rich grassland areas, and on the other hand, it also wants to honor the people who maintain this unique cultural landscape with great commitment.
From an economic point of view, mountain hay meadows were not among the most productive areas. “Meadows without intensive fertilization produce lower yields – but they have an invaluable value for nature, landscape and quality of life. They are a feast for the eyes, ears and nose: colorfully blooming, humming and fragrant. They create identity, shape our homeland and make the Vogelsberg unmistakable,” emphasized the district administrator.
We share a responsibility to preserve this landscape for future generations. At the same time, they want to show that nature conservation and regional value creation belong together. With the regional brand “Vogelsberg Original” as well as numerous campaigns and events, regional products are specifically promoted and their special quality is made visible.
According to Mischak, the animals that graze on the mountain hay meadows provide high-quality milk, cheese, meat and sausage products with a special taste. Visitors were able to see this for themselves at the mountain hay meadow festival: numerous direct marketers, regional suppliers and committed companies presented their products and showed how much quality, passion and regional connection there is in the Vogelsberg.
In addition, cattle, goats and sheep offered insights into the practice of pastoralism. The technical program included guided tours on botany, ornithology and herbology. The team of the major nature conservation project also demonstrated the identification program using the HeLawi app. For young naturalists there was a hay bouncy castle and tours with a team of goats.
