The Stückle-Glück” course saves orchards in the Esslingen district!

The Stückle-Glück” course saves orchards in the Esslingen district!

In the Esslingen district it is about preserving a traditional cultural landscape: the new “Stückle-Glück” course is dedicated to the care of orchards. The region between the Filder plain, the Swabian Alb and the Schurwaldhöhe is home to one of the largest orchard areas in Europe with around 9,600 hectares. An alarming decline in orchard trees is now calling for committed citizens like Stuttgarter News reported. Every year we lose around 100,000 fruit trees in Baden-Württemberg, while experts at the University of Hohenheim predict in a study that there could no longer be any orchards by 2050.

How does this happen? The causes are diverse: a lack of care, laborious transport and falling producer prices mean that the old, tall fruit trees are increasingly being forgotten. Diseases such as pear rust and pear decay also cause alarming signs of death in orchard trees, as the BGL Baden-Württemberg makes clear. The disappearance of these valuable habitats has far-reaching consequences, not only for fruit production, but also for biodiversity, as orchards provide habitat for many bird species.

The course offering

The “Stückle-Glück” course is offered by the fruit and horticultural associations Holzmaden and Hepsisau as well as the fruit and horticultural advice of the Esslingen district. The events are intended for individuals as well as families and owners of orchards. The course consists of practical units that will provide knowledge about tree pruning, tree health, biodiversity and planting. This course is offered in six dates from September to July of the following year. The contact person for those interested is Jana Gneiting, who can be reached on 0711 / 3902-41022, and Jens Häußler, 0711 / 3902-42421.

The need for care and management has increased significantly in recent years. The decline in orchard stocks is particularly alarming: in Baden-Württemberg, a decline of up to 50% is expected over the next 20 years, which underlines the importance of initiatives such as “Stückle-Glück”. Without care and preservation, the orchards, which are traditionally closely linked to human cultural activity, will disappear. The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation emphasizes how important it is to recognize and promote the ecological and nature conservation significance of orchards.

Call to action

While the course is approached with a lot of enthusiasm, it is also intended to set an example for the necessary awareness when dealing with orchards. Motivation to care is crucial; The prices for cider fruit play a role here. Professional care measures are essential not only for fruit production, but also for nature conservation. In order to ensure the vitality of the trees, current pruning methods and care concepts are necessary that meet the special needs of orchards.

The project “Orchards in Germany” shows that it is high time to take action and implement concrete care measures in orchards. The disappearance of these valuable cultural landscapes is not only alarming, but also a challenge that we must all face together.