Brown bank in the customs port: lawn saved in an emergency with a water barrel!

Brown bank in the customs port: lawn saved in an emergency with a water barrel!

There is currently great disappointment in the newly designed green bank of the Nordmole in the Mainz customs port: since the opening a few weeks ago, the once green turf has been brown and dried out. The horticultural expert is already talking about a “total loss” for the spacious area, which extends over 3,400 square meters and cost around 8.3 million euros. Despite the promised regular watering, the condition of the lawn is alarming. According to Zollhafen Mainz GmbH, the lawn has received water twice a week since it was inaugurated in June, but no automatic irrigation system is currently working. At the moment, irrigation is done painstakingly by hand using water barrels, while a long-term solution remains uncertain. It is claimed that you would have to help manually with water barrels until a planned pumping system that would work with Rhine water can be put into operation.

With a high water requirement of 10 liters per square meter per day, the freshly laid turf now urgently needs intensive care to recover from the drying heat of the last few weeks. Many citizens wonder whether the lawn may be damaged beyond repair. The responsibility for maintaining the new green space lies with Zollhafen Mainz GmbH - not with the city of Mainz or its green department. External companies were hired to take care of the completion, but the responsibility only runs for three years.

A green concept?

The nature conservation association NABU has already criticized the plans for the turf, describing it as a “biodiversity desert”. Instead of such seedless areas, NABU recommends creating flowering meadows that are not only appealing to the eye, but also attract numerous insects and other animals. These promote the biotopes and help with natural pest control. In fact, turf can help promote biodiversity if you choose the right, drought-tolerant grass types. These require less water and are less maintenance-intensive, as experts from Rollrasen-Experten note.

The preservation of biodiversity is also an important issue in Germany, where over 30% of species are considered endangered. A healthy garden can help improve biodiversity - be it by choosing native plants, creating nesting boxes or through natural care that also focuses on organic fertilizers and animal-free fertilizers. In this context, Plantura offers further important information on how each individual can make a contribution to preserving biodiversity in their own garden.

A sustainable future?

It remains to be seen whether the turf on the Nordmole can meet the ecological requirements. If taken seriously, it could still contribute a lot to biodiversity if the right measures are taken. The irrigation problem must be solved promptly to ensure a sustainable and enjoyable green space for everyone. Until then, the citizens can only hope that the lawn will soon be fully green again, and perhaps one or two flowering meadows can be created next to the turf to allow the gem in the customs port to bloom again. After all, green spaces are not only places of relaxation, but also a valuable home for numerous forms of life.