New protective film to prevent bird strike on the greenhouse

The glass house in paradise is no longer a danger to birds. Thanks to a newly installed special dot film, the animals can now see the glass surfaces. This should prevent life-threatening collisions with the panes. The reason for this is that bird strikes on the building have been documented for years.

"All native bird species are under special protection. The number of documented bird strikes on the glass house was well above the permissible threshold. We were therefore obliged to work towards an effective and scientifically proven solution," explains Dr. Frank Hünefeld from the Lower Nature Conservation Authority (UNB) of the city of Jena.

Various measures examined since 2023

As the previous measures were not sufficient, the authority had pushed for the measure. Various approaches have been examined and partially implemented since 2023 - including gray curtains in the interior of the building. However, accompanying checks and monitoring by the Jena Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) showed that bird strikes were still occurring regularly.

Other suggestions such as UV films or alternative curtain systems were also examined. However, there is not yet sufficient scientific evidence for the reliable effectiveness of these measures. For this reason, the decision was made in favor of the spot film that has now been installed, the protective effect of which has been scientifically proven.

NABU Jena initiated the procedure

NABU Jena has been campaigning for a bird-proof design for the glass house for more than two and a half years. Wildvogelhilfe Jena, part of NABU Jena, had cared for numerous birds that had collided with the glass house in the past. This gave rise to the plan to carry out scientific monitoring.

Together with the Thuringian Ornithologists' Association (VTO), several surveys were carried out. They came to the conclusion that the legal threshold values had been exceeded. NABU Jena then worked together with all those involved to find a solution, which has now finally been implemented.

"Glass surfaces are one of the most common man-made causes of death for birds. We are delighted that an effective measure has finally been implemented. A big thank you is due to the UNB, which worked with us to implement this demonstrably effective measure. The spot foil that has now been installed is a proven measure to significantly reduce the risk of collision and protect many animals," explains Madleen Schätz from NABU Jena's bird strike working group.

Approval from the city council

The request also received support from the city council. City councillor Heidrun Jänchen in particular had repeatedly campaigned for an effective solution to protect birds at the glass house.