Hengl Mineral GmbH

Objective

Dragon Flies are endangered species and they lose their habitats because wetlands and wet agrarian areas dry up. Fishing ponds do not help because of the steep banks. The solution is to create shallow Dragon Flies ponds within the quarry area.

Context

Hengl Company established a Dragon Flies pond within the Limberg quarry. The area is a very dry, non agrarian and rarely forested unused land. The project was conceived together with the local ground school class of Limberg city.

Solution

The pupils planted some water plants and kept the banks free from natural coverings. This was made under the supervision of WWF. As a part of their regular education, the pupils are monitoring and using the results in there thesis. Periodically a nature conservation expert visits the dragonflies pond and can identify a lot of different plants and animals (aesculapian snakes, grass snakes, newts, frogs, toads, …).

The surrounding area was planted with butterfly-friendly bushes and thistles and a wall for reptiles was created where you can observed numerous butterfly species and more than ten different dragonfly species (e.g. four-spotted chaser, emperor dragonfly, common winter damselfly,…).

Result

Even during the creation period some Dragon Flies appeared. Coenagrion puella, Ischnura elegans, Libellula depressa like the Hengl pond very much. The results are three folded:

• the educational aspect of the monitoring by schools,

• the new wetland in a quarry,

• the recreation area for visitors are a substantial benefit for sustainability.

In the last years the dragonflies pond became an ecological hotspot and a popular excursion and recreation destination for the local population. There are several events around the dragonflies pond every year. In extreme droughts it is necessary to refill water to avoid a strong rise of the water temperature.

Partners

Local ground school class of Limberg city

WWF