Save old apple varieties: Karlsruhe initiative fights for diversity!

Save old apple varieties: Karlsruhe initiative fights for diversity!

In Karlsruhe, the harvest of old apple varieties becomes a health and environmental issue! The scattering initiative has collected over 200 tons of apples in the past few weeks, which are now being processed into fresh juice. While varieties such as Boskop and Berlepsch can hardly be found in supermarkets, they get into the juices of the local wine presses and convince with their intensive aroma. The health benefits are also noteworthy: studies show that old apple varieties are better tolerated for allergy sufferers because they contain higher concentrations of polyphenols that can allergy symptoms.

But the future of the old apple biotopes is threatened. Land consolidation, new development areas and more intensive agriculture lead to a dramatic decline in orchards - almost a third in the Karlsruhe area in the past 25 years. Climate change also adds the old trees; Many have dried up or affected by pests. Without sufficient young nurses and the necessary knowledge of tree care, it looks bleak for these valuable cultural landscapes. The awareness of the preservation of these old apple varieties and their habitats is urgently needed, reports www.swr.de .