Alarm in the Werra-Meißner district: Birds are disappearing from the solar park!

Alarm in the Werra-Meißner district: Birds are disappearing from the solar park!

Sustainability is a big topic that is becoming increasingly important in the Werra-Meißner district. Nevertheless, the construction of solar parks brings with it some challenges, especially for the local bird population. A recent bird count in the Niederhone solar park on June 19, 2025 produced alarming results: no birds were recorded. Dr. In this context, Jörg Brauneis from the Nature Conservation Initiative (NI) expressed serious concerns about the loss of habitat for birds through this type of land use. The solar farm, which covers about 4.5 hectares, is considered unusable for native bird species, further fueling concerns among conservationists, such as werra-rundschau reports.

It was only in April 2025 that ornithologist Klaus Raab spotted several species of birds, such as a black redstart and three yellowhammers, in the solar park. However, these positive observations could soon be a thing of the past, warned Brauneis. Particularly worrying is the planned expansion of the solar park area through the Herleshausen-Archfeld project, which covers around 150 hectares and is considered a threat to the community of field birds.

The conflict between energy demand and nature conservation

The nature conservation initiative is firmly against the change in the land use plan for the “Oberhone Energy Park”, which envisages 990 solar modules on just under one hectare next to a heating center. Brauneis calls for a serious discussion about alternative areas for solar power generation. “There are plenty of large roofs on commercial and administrative buildings that would be more suitable,” he said. Construction of the heating center in the Oberhone energy park is scheduled to start in 2026, and 122 households have already decided to connect. In this context, a further 6.7 kilometers of cable routes need to be laid.

The ongoing discussion about the solar farm also raises questions about the general practicality of solar projects in relation to nature conservation. While some projects, such as those by naturstrom in Henschleben and Uttenreuth, show that valuable biodiversity can be promoted through well-planned solar parks, the situation in the Werra-Meißner district is currently worrying. Projects that are located on areas with natural pollution such as contaminated sites and former landfills often have better chances of maintaining and expanding biodiversity, as experiences from other regions show, according to energiezukunft.

Public event and outlook

In order to inform the interested population about the developments surrounding the Oberhone energy park, an information event will take place in the Oberhone village community center on July 2, 2025 at 6 p.m. Plans for the land use plan and environmental reports are to be presented here, which can be viewed on the city of Eschwege's homepage and in the Eschwege town hall until July 23, 2025. It remains to be seen whether the fears of conservationists fighting to preserve habitat for our feathered friends will be heard.