Wed, 17 Mar 2004

Farmers and gardeners challenged to create an insect-friendly environment

By Iris Mühlberger

Ulm, 17 March 2004 (NNA) – How to create a friendly environment for bees, bumblebees, butterflies and other useful insects? That was the topic discussed at a conference organised by organic farming and environmental organisations, including Demeter, in the German city of Ulm last month.

Dr.  Thomas van Elsen, a specialist in ecological agriculture at Kassel/Witzenhausen University spoke about the development of the typical central European landscape. Regionally diverse forms of agriculture had been replaced by intensive farming methods, leading to the disappearance of structural elements such as hedges and streams and thus also reducing the variety of species at breathtaking speed

“The causes for this development must be sought in the way agricultural chemicals and fertilizers are used and the intensive farming of grassland areas,” Dr.  von Elsen said. Insects required a diverse plant environment which meant that flowering plants were required for the whole of the period from March to the end of September when insect populations were developing.

In many areas, however, oil seed rape provided the only significant flowers. Once they had died down, there was little else left for the insects. Planting of interim crops such as mustard was also of doubtful benefit since these areas only flowered late in the year when the insect development cycle had already finished.

Participants at the conference agreed that farmers needed to rethink their practices to improve the living conditions of insects. Agriculture had to become extensive. Weedkillers should be avoided to give wild herbs a chance to grow.

With grassland, too, more consideration should be given to the needs of insects. Rather than cutting all areas at once, depriving insects of all their sources of food, this should be done in a staggered way.

A flowering landscape could only be created together with farmers. Since the latter were often subject to great economic pressures, participants at the conference demanded that the development of insect-friendly pastures should be integrated into government agricultural policy.

Gardeners, too, could contribute to creating a “paradise for bees and their friends” if a variety of indigenous flowers and bushes were cultivated, Dr.  von Elsen said. In vegetable gardens, the scientist recommended growing herbs which flowered at different times.

At the end of the conference participants agreed that summers had to become more colourful again. This benefited not only insects, but also enhanced the quality of life of human beings.

END/cva

Iris Mühlberger is press officer for Demeter Baden-Würrtemberg

Item: N040317-01EN Date: 17 March 2004

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