New information board protects biotope ponds and their inhabitants

The valuable biotope ponds on the high plateau near Jena are now receiving visible support: a newly installed information board at the ponds informs visitors about the special importance of these habitats and shows how they can be protected.

The area looks back on an eventful history. Used for military purposes from 1939 and as a Red Army training area after 1945, it was extensively renaturalized after the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1991. As part of the compensatory measures for the construction of the Jagdberg tunnel (2007/08), eight additional biotope ponds were created alongside the existing Himmelsteich ponds. Today, they are valuable refuges for endangered amphibian species such as the northern crested newt, the yellow-bellied toad and the European tree frog, as well as for dragonflies, birds, bats and numerous other animal species.

"The ponds are small but highly sensitive ecosystems. Even throwing stones in, bathing or releasing pets can cause great damage," explains the Jena City Forestry Office, which took care of the installation of the board.

Employees of the environmental education department, who workat the nearby nature experience center forum natura, report that they repeatedly observe people behaving incorrectly at the ponds - often because they do not know the special features of the biotope. This is why the topic is also regularly addressed at forest education events to raise visitors' awareness of how to treat nature correctly.

The information board makes this clear:

• Do not throw stones into the water
• Do not release fish, turtles or other pets
• No bathing - neither for humans nor for dogs
• Be careful and considerate when spending time at the pond

The board was set up thanks to the commitment and financial support of Dr. Grit Köhler, a committed citizen of Jena who is particularly concerned about the protection of biotope ponds. Together with JABIL, BUND (Jena district association) and Kommunalservice Jena (KSJ), it was possible to secure the funding.

With this commitment, citizens, businesses, nature conservation organizations and the city of Jena are jointly setting an example for the protection of local nature. The biotope ponds are to remain a safe nursery and habitat for many endangered species in the future.