Weilheim: amazement at a biotope called Au

The Weilheimer Au has been mapped as a biotope for 28 years.

But apparently nobody in the city council knew about it.

Now the question arose about the consequences of this entry.

And by the way it was heard with joy: The Au-Weiher is slowly becoming clearer again.

• When and why was the Weilheimer Au actually classified as a biotope?

  And what are the consequences?

• These questions from the CSU / FDP parliamentary group have now been answered in the building committee.

• It also became clear that the new water management concept in the Au is well received.

Weilheim

- Imagine, there is a biotope in the middle of Weilheim - and (almost) nobody knows about it ... It was similar to the building committee of the city council recently with the Weilheimer Au.

In December 2019, the city council decided to have a maintenance concept developed for this local recreation area between the city center and the Ammer.

And the documents for it can be seen that the Au is registered as a biotope - which among other things the CSU / FDP city council faction is surprised: "We ask for clarification, by whom, when and why this qualification took place and what the consequences are for him popular place to stay, Weilheimer Au ', "the CSU / FDP now wrote in an official request:" To our knowledge, namely, the Au was artificially created as a city park by the Beautification Association in 1881 as an early sign of civic commitment, "the letter says Group spokeswoman Marion Lunz-Schmieder and 2nd Mayor Angelika Flock signed.

More care than in the "normal forest"

This request, as Flock explained in the most recent building committee meeting, should “bring light into the darkness” - especially since there are voices from the population that “the meadow no longer looks so beautiful, no longer so beautifully mowed, no longer such a beautiful park be".

Manfred Stork, head of the city's building management, said that the meadow had "always been maintained as a park-like area in recent years".

There are clearly “stronger maintenance measures on trees than in normal forests”, also because of the obligation to maintain safety.

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Since 1992, Stork continues, the Au has been registered in the Bavarian biotope mapping under the name “Park-like forest in the Weilheim urban area”.

This was caused ex officio by the lower nature conservation authority at the district office, as Stork explained: “We are not asked beforehand.” The consequence of the biotope entry - which was pointed out in the building committee at the end of 2019 - is, according to the city building authority, “that maintenance measures are taken in advance must be coordinated with the lower nature conservation authority and a corresponding nature conservation permit must be obtained ".

So far, a consensus has always been reached with the district office.

Only nature lovers should be out here

Also with regard to the maintenance and the traffic safety obligation of the parks in the Au, one always has to involve the district office due to the biotope mapping - which has been working well for years in cooperation with the municipal forestry company and the municipal utilities.

For the citizens, however, nothing has changed as a result of the biotope mapping.

"Every user of the Au (recreation seekers, strollers, cyclists, etc.) has to take nature into account and preserve it," says the municipal building authority: "Nature must not be damaged or destroyed anyway."

New care concept shows initial success

The water maintenance concept that the building committee awarded in March 2020 is currently being implemented in the Weilheimer Au.

"Biophysical quartz sand" is added to around 100 places on the Au-Weiher every week, explained building authority employee Monika Pierson in the October meeting: "Such a nature support takes a relatively long time - but you can see that it is getting better." I also give a lot of positive feedback from Weilheimers, for example about "clearer water and less musty smell".

Conclusion in the building committee: “We are on the right track.” The maintenance measures are to be continued in 2021 and 2022, and around 21,000 euros are to be earmarked for this in the city budget.

Read here what is planned for the near future at the Ammer in Weilheim.