More blooming landscapes

Insects are the success models of evolution par excellence. With more than one million described species worldwide, they make up almost 2/3 of all known living creatures on our planet. In Germany, too, there are around 33,000 different insect species. However, their numbers have been decreasing for some time now. This has been particularly evident in the last few dry and hot summers. The extinction of insects can no longer be ignored.

Well-greened cities, in which colorful and sometimes somewhat "messy" looking meadows and copses are allowed, already act as oases of insect diversity in many places in the midst of an otherwise increasingly "cleared" cultural landscape. In Jena, nocturnal butterflies were recorded in 2018 and 2019 using a live light trap on the edge of the Winzerla residential area. At the end of the two-year survey, the list included over 200 (!) species, including extremely rare specimens and animals that were previously only known from nature reserves in the surrounding area.

With the guide now available, the city of Jena has addressed the problem of insect mortality and species decline in general. The central part of the guide is a catalog of 11 measures that are suitable for preserving and increasing the diversity of plants and insects in the city. In addition, the introductory section provides the reader with interesting facts about insects and why they are so important in ecosystems.

The guideline is intended to provide municipal companies with a clear orientation for the care and management of urban meadows, hedges and bushes. It is now available to housing associations, interested companies and private individuals as a recommendation for action.

The guide will be regularly updated and is to be provided with images illustrating the measures described this year, for example.