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Baden-Württemberg Environment Minister Franz Untersteller
Photo: dpa picture alliance / Patrick Seeger / picture alliance / dpa
SPIEGEL
: Baden-Württemberg has been banning private gravel gardens by law since this summer.
Why are you telling owners how they should design their property?
Untersteller
: According to our legal opinion, gravel gardens have been banned in the state building code for years.
The amendment to the State Nature Conservation Act only clarifies this.
SPIEGEL
: Do fans of such gardens now have to remove tons of stones from their garden and plant flowers there instead?
Subordinate
: Courts will probably have to decide on this in individual cases.
The highest building law authority, the CDU-governed Ministry of Economic Affairs, takes a different view than the Ministry of the Environment.
SPIEGEL
: What do you have against gravel?
Subordinate
: In short: bees do not eat stones.
We cannot complain about the death of insects, but above all hold farmers accountable.
It begins in the private sphere, for example when not using pesticides.
Or just not to throw tons of rubble in front of the house.
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